Dioctyl Phthalate-Modified Graphene Nanoplatelets: An Effective Additive for Enhanced Mechanical Properties of Natural Rubber

Abstract

Graphene has been extensively considered an ideal additive to improve the mechanical properties of many composite materials, including rubbers, because of its novel strength, high surface area, and remarkable thermal and electron conductivity. However, the pristine graphene shows low dispersibility in the rubber matrix resulting in only slightly enhanced mechanical properties of the rubber composite. In this work, graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) were modified with dioctyl phthalate (DOP) to improve the dispersibility of the graphene in the natural rubber (NR). The distribution of the DOP-modified GNPs in the NR matrix was investigated using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy. The effect of the modified GNPs’ contents on the mechanical properties of the GNPs/NR composite was studied in detail. The results showed that the abrasion resistance of the graphene-reinforced rubber composite significantly improved by 10 times compared to that of the rubber without graphene (from 0.3 to 0.03 g/cycle without and with addition of the 0.3 phr modified GNPs). The addition of the modified GNPs also improved the shear and tensile strength of the rubber composite. The tensile strength and shear strength of the NR/GNPs composite with a GNPs loading of 0.3 phr were determined to be 23.63 MPa and 42.69 N/mm, respectively. Even the presence of the graphene reduced the other mechanical properties such as Shore hardness, elongation at break, and residual elongation; however, these reductions were negligible, which still makes the modified GNPs significant as an effective additive for the natural rubber in applications requiring high abrasion resistance.

Elastomer Nanocomposites: Effect of Filler–Matrix and Filler–Filler Interactions

“…On the other hand, graphene and its derivatives often require a functionalization process in order to improve the polymer-filler interactions and the filler dispersibility [101]. Several examples of surface functionalization of graphene and derivatives have been reported [103][104][105].…”

Networking Skills: The Effect of Graphene on the Crosslinking of Natural Rubber Nanocomposites with Sulfur and Peroxide Systems

“…The development of novel nanoparticles as reinforcing fillers in recent years, such as graphene, carbon nanotubes, and nano silicate, enabled an even broader spectrum of applications and greatly enhanced the material performance of elastomers. Especially the simultaneous significant reduction of conventional filler contents allowed for the more targeted optimization of property profiles [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. Generally, nanoparticles facilitate the improvement of various properties, such as mechanical (i.e., increase of Young’s modulus), flame retardancy, as well as electrical and thermal conductivity [ 14 , 15 , 17 , 18 , 20 , 21 , 22 ].…”