In the new era of sustainable developments, various adaptations have been carried out in many industries to revolutionize the quest for sustainable materials as a method to reduce the dependency on petroleum feedstock. One of such inventions focusing on the automotive industries with new concepts of energy automotive such as electric and hybrid cars, as well as the utilization of inorganic materials as a components of polymer composites, which is expected to reduce the demand and utilization of various rubber composites in automotive parts. However, due to remarkable increment of service life and inherent properties, ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM) has showed the highest consumption in automotive segments and the fastest development rate in the field of polymer modification. Thus, a comprehensive review concerning the development of environmentally friendly EPDM-based composites reinforced by various clay minerals is highlighted and presented in this article. The characteristic of EPDM, including the chemistry, processing, properties, and applications, as well as the current research on various types of rubber/clay composites, EPDM/clay composites, and rubber/bentonite (Bt) composites, is reviewed and reported. In addition, the characteristics, properties, and applications of different types of clay minerals such as layered silicates, Bt clays, and montmorillonites as reinforcement material in EPDM composites are also included. Finally, the drawbacks and challenges in developments of EPDM/clay composites and the existing improvizations through various compatibilization of EPDM/clay composite system such as chemical modification of clays, functionalization using coupling agents, and compatibilization through grafting are discussed by highlighting the important findings.

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Waste tire rubber is commonly recycled by blending with other polymers. However, the mechanical properties of these blends were poor due to lack of adhesion between the matrix and the waste tire rubber. In this research, the use of electron beam irradiation and (3-Aminopropyl)triethoxy silane (APTES) on enhancing the performance of 50 wt% reclaimed tire rubber (RTR) blend with 50 wt% poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA) was investigated. Preparation of RTR/EVA blends were carried out in the internal mixer. The blends were then exposed to electron beam (EB) irradiation at doses ranging from 50 to 200 kGy. APTES loading was varied between 1 to 10 wt%. The processing, morphological, mechanical, and calorimetric properties of the blends were investigated. The stabilization torque and total mixing energy was higher in compatibilized blends. Mechanical properties of RTR/EVA blends were improved due to efficiency of APTES in further reclaiming the RTR and compatibilizing the blends. APTES improved the dispersion of embedded smaller RTR particles in EVA matrix and crosslinking efficiency of the blends. Calorimetric studies showed increased crystallinity in compatibilized blends which corresponds to improved mechanical properties. However, the ductility of the blend was decreased due to increased interaction between EVA and APTES. Presence of APTES increased the efficiency of electron beam irradiation induced crosslinking which was shown through gel content analysis and Charlesby-Pinner equation.

A new thermoplastic elastomer with improved impact and tensile properties was produced through melt blending of graphene oxide filled nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR-GO) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) without the addition of plasticisers and thermal stabilisers. Nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) compounds, with and without graphene oxide (GO) are prepared through latex compounding method and cured, prior to blending with PVC. The effect of NBR and NBR-GO loading on the process-ability and physico-mechanical properties of PVC blends were evaluated. The addition of NBR and NBR-GO improved tensile strength (TS), impact strength and swelling resistance of PVC. Addition of NBR also increased the stiffness of PVC due to higher elasticity of NBR as compared to PVC. Optimum impact strength, TS and swelling resistance was achieved with the addition of 10 wt. % NBR-GO. Good miscibility between NBR and PVC, and additional reinforcement by GO is responsible for enhancement of impact and TS. NBR-GO showed greater miscibility in PVC as compared to NBR as proven by morphological observation under scanning electron microscope. Morphological observation reveals that micro-cracks formation on PVC/30NBR surface which is responsible for low impact, tensile and swelling properties as compared to PVC/30NBR-GO composite.