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Electrically conducting rubbery composites based on thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were prepared through melt blending using a torque rheometer equipped with a mixing chamber. The electrical conductivity, morphology, rheological properties and electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) of the TPU/CNT composites were evaluated and also compared with those of carbon black (CB)-filled TPU composites prepared under the same processing conditions. For both polymer systems, the insulator-conductor transition was very sharp and the electrical percolation threshold at room temperature was at CNT and CB contents of about 1.0 and 1.7 wt%, respectively. The EMI SE over the X-band frequency range (8-12 GHz) for TPU/CNT and TPU/CB composites was investigated as a function of filler content. EMI SE and electrical conductivity increased with increasing amount of conductive filler, due to the formation of conductive pathways in the TPU matrix. TPU/CNT composites displayed higher electrical conductivity and EMI SE than TPU/CB composites with similar conductive filler content. EMI SE values found for TPU/CNT and TPU/CB composites containing 10 and 15 wt% conductive fillers, respectively, were in the range −22 to −20 dB, indicating that these composites are promising candidates for shielding applications.

-Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) has large applications in the shoe industry, especially as expanded sheets used to produce insoles and inner soles. According to TG analysis, the rubber content in SBR residues (SBR-r) was found to be around 26-wt%. Based on that data, a cost-effective technique for the reuse of SBRr in Nitrile rubber (NBR) was developed. Later, the effect of SBR-r on the cure behavior, mechanical performance, swelling, and crosslink density of reused rubber was investigated, with more emphasis placed on the effect of both particle size and loading of waste filler. Cure characteristics such as optimum cure time and scorch time were then reduced by the increasing amount of SBR-r filler. Owing to the reinforced nature of the largest particle size SBR-r, the best results for the mechanical properties of NBR were those in which SBR-r was added at the end of the cure process. The study has thus shown that SBR residue (SBR-r) can be used as an economical alternative filler in NBR.

A mistura NBR/EPDM apresenta diferentes velocidades de cura, o que resulta na vulcanização heterogênea das fases, isto é, a fase NBR encontra-se em grande parte reticulada enquanto que a fase EPDM encontra-se pouco reticulada ou não-reticulada em casos extremos, prejudicando as propriedades finais da mistura. Este trabalho avalia os efeitos de diferentes sistemas de vulcanização à base de enxofre no processo de cura, na dureza, na resistência à tração, ao rasgamento e ao envelhecimento da mistura NBR/EPDM. Foram estudados os sistemas S/MBTS, S/TMTD e S/MBTS/TMTD variando-se a quantidade de enxofre em 0,3 e 1,0 phr. O processo de cura é influenciado pelo tipo de acelerador (MBTS, TMTD e a combinação destes) e pela quantidade de enxofre (0,3 e 1,0 phr) presente nas formulações. Esta influência é percebida na resistência à pré-cura e na velocidade de cura da mistura NBR/EPDM. A reticulação da fase EPDM também varia com o sistema de vulcanização empregado e influi diretamente nas propriedades mecânicas e na resistência ao envelhecimento.

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