Filler treatments utilizing low VOC silanes

A method for treating filler material comprising:

• (i) placing a filler into a mixer;
• (ii) contacting the filler material with at least one silane of the general formula:
• [Y[-G(—SiXuZbvZwc)s]r]n (Formula 1)
• wherein
• each occurrence of G is independently —(CH2)m—, where m is 1 to 12, —CH2(CH2)qCH(CH3)—, where q is 0 to 17, or G can be a chemical bond;
• each occurrence of X is independently R1O— or —O(R10CR11)fOH, wherein each occurrence of R1 is independently hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl or butyl;
• each —R10 and R11 is independently hydrogen, methyl or ethyl;
• each occurrence of Zb is independently (—O—)0.5, and [—O(R10CR11)fO—]0.5, wherein each occurrence of R10 and R11 is independently hydrogen, methyl or ethyl;
• each occurrence of Zc is independently given by —O(R10CR11)fO— wherein each occurrence of R10 and R11 is independently hydrogen, methyl or ethyl;
• each occurrence of the subscript f is independently an integer from 1 to 15;
• each occurrence of the subscript n is an integer from 1 to 100, with the proviso that when n is greater than 1, v is an integer greater than 0 and all the valences for Zb have a silicon atom bonded to them;
• each occurrence of the subscript u is independently an integer from 0 to 3;
• each occurrence of the subscript v is independently an integer from 0 to 3;
• each occurrence of the subscript w, is independently an integer from 0 to 1, with the proviso that u+v+22w=3;
• each occurrence of the subscript s is an integer 1;
• each occurrence of the subscript r is an integer 1;
• and
• each occurrence of Y is independently an organofunctional group of valence, r, selected from the group consisting of CH2—═CH—, CHR═CH—, and CR2═CH—, wherein each occurrence of R is independently hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, octenyl, cyclohexyl, phenyl, benzyl, tolyl or tolyl and R4 is independently one of the structures given for R;
• with the provisos that said silane contains at least one occurrence of Zc group and, which upon hydrolysis provides by-product diol, which is not a volatile organic compound possessing a boiling point up to 185° C. at atmospheric pressure;
• (iii) mixing the silane composition in contact with the filler of step (ii);
• and optionally
• (iv) drying the mixture of step (iii).