Improved Automotive Fuel Resistance of Natural Rubber/Chlorosulfonated Polyethylene Blends by Blending Epoxidized Natural Polymer

Abstract

The natural rubber (NR) was mixed with chlorosulfonated polyethylene (CSM), due to the difference of polarity in NR and CSM made this blend incompatible and the third component was used. Epoxidzed natural rubber (ENR) was used as a third component. NR/CSM blended with the blend ratio of 50/50 was prepared by using a two-roll mill and vulcanization in a compression mold at 160˚C. The ENR content was varied from 1 to 7 phr. The curing characteristics, morphology, mechanical properties, and automotive fuel swelling were investigated. The results indicated that the cure time of the blend rubbers was shorter as adding ENR. The mechanical properties of the blend rubbers were not affected by ENR content. However, automotive fuel resistance of the blend rubbers was found to increase with adding ENR in rubber blend.

Nanocomposites of NR/SBR Blend Prepared by Latex Casting Method: Effects of Nano-TiO2 and Polystyrene-Encapsulated Nano-TiO2 on the Cure Characteristics, Physical Properties, and Morphology

“…High-performance elastomeric materials have been produced by developing multicomponent systems in terms of rubber blend and/or rubber nanocomposites [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]. Blending of rubbers is an important technique to improve certain properties not inherent in a single rubber, while incorporating an inorganic nanofiller (nanosized filler) even at a very low loading (less than 10 wt%) into rubber matrix by physical mixing has attracted considerable interest for both scientific challenges and industrial applications due to their high-performance properties [2,[4][5][6][7][8][9][11][12][13][14][15][16].…”

“…NR can exhibit higher tensile and tear strength than synthetic rubbers due to its ability to undergo strain crystallization [1,[6][7][8][9]. However, NR suffers from poor weathering, ozone, oil, and thermal resistance because of its nonpolarity and high unsaturation [9,10]. Consequently, NR is normally modified by simple blending with commercially available rubbers and/or fillers to improve its physical properties, thermal stability, and end-use performances [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]10].…”

“…However, NR suffers from poor weathering, ozone, oil, and thermal resistance because of its nonpolarity and high unsaturation [9,10]. Consequently, NR is normally modified by simple blending with commercially available rubbers and/or fillers to improve its physical properties, thermal stability, and end-use performances [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]10]. Styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) is a synthetic copolymer derived from styrene and 1,3-butadiene, which can be commercially produced in a latex form by an emulsion polymerization process [1,6,16].…”

“…This is because the nanofillers can offer high stiffness and strength by inhibiting the propagation of cracks and delaying the breakdown of materials, along with an increase in the thermal stability of nanocomposites [2,[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. To achieve the desired properties, the nanofillers must sufficiently disperse in the rubber matrix, as poor dispersion results in deteriorating of the performance properties.…”