Application of rheology as a tool to estimate the mixing quality of elastomeric nanocomposites and comparing with small-angle X-ray scattering microstructural study

Abstract

Finding a relation between microstructure and properties of nanocomposites is challenging for engineers to control properties of polymeric systems by controlling their microstructure or to estimate their microstructure parameters by studying their properties. Since rheological properties can be obtained in stress or strain modes, sweep of temperatures, sweep of frequencies, amplitudes of applied stress or strains sweep and over the time, creating a relationship between rheological properties and microstructure of nanocomposites has a higher practical freedom. Also, rheological properties are highly affected by mixing quality, which is defined microstructure parameters of systems, so rheology can be applied as a tool to estimate the mixing quality of polymeric systems. Therefore, the present study aims to present the structural model for the rheological behavior of nanocomposites were produced under different mixing conditions and establish the relationship between rheological properties and microstructure of these nanocomposites and evaluate the presented structure with Small-angle X-ray scattering data. Thus, elastomeric nanocomposites were produced at different mixing speeds and times. The results indicated at the lower mixing intensity the agglomerates of nanoparticles are first distributed in the rubber system by increasing the time and speed of mixing so at those mixing condition rheological properties decreased. Finally at the higher mixing intensity the aggregates of these particles start to break so the rheological properties increased. Based on the rheological properties, distributing of particles reduces the rheological properties of nanocomposites, while breaking aggregates increases the rheological properties.

The evaluation of the relationship between the microstructure and properties of the tire tread containing carbon black/silica hybrid nanoparticles

“…The properties of nanocomposites, especially their mechanical properties, are affected by the volume fraction of the nanoparticle, 8 the size 9 of the nanoparticles, the physical properties of the nanoparticle surfac, 10,11 the physical properties of the polymer chains, the type of and the shape of the nanoparticle 12 and the mixing procedur. 13 The interaction of polymer chains with the nanoparticle surface, which is influenced by the physical properties of the nanoparticle surface and the physical properties of the polymer chains, can control the properties of nanocomposite. 14 This interaction can be altered by modifying the surface of the nanoparticles, using a couplin 15 or shieldin 16 agent, and placing the appropriate groups on the polymer chain.…”