Studies on blends of natural rubber and ethylene propylene diene rubber modified with phosphorylated cardanol prepolymer: Processability, physico‐mechanical properties, and morphology

Abstract

ABSTRACT:The melt processability and physico-mechanical properties of blends of natural rubber (NR) and ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM) containing different dosages (0-10 phr) of phosphorylated cardanol prepolymer (PCP) were studied in unfilled and china-clay-filled mixes. The plasticizing effect of PCP in the blends was evidenced by progressive reduction in power consumption of the mixing and activation energy for melt flow with an increase in the dosage of PCP. The PCP-modified blend vulcanizates showed higher tensile properties and tear strength despite a decrease in the chemical crosslink density (CLD) index. This is presumably due to the formation of a crosslinked network structure of PCP with the rubbers and improved dispersion of the filler particles in the rubber matrix, as evidenced by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Thermogravimetric analysis showed an increase in thermal stability of the blend vulcanizate in presence of 5 phr of PCP.

Fractal analysis of morphology of PE/PA blends: Composition

“…The basic materials used in this study were a commercial grade polyamide1010 (PA1010, 11) with a density of 1.03-1.05 g/cm 3 After the mixing, pieces of these blends were taken out of the mixer and put into ice-water to freeze the original structure for the observation in a scanning electron microscope.…”

“…During the past few decades, many research groups carried out corresponding studies to gain a better understanding of morphology and good results were found. [1][2][3][4][5][6] It is well known that when two immiscible/imcompatible polymers are blended, one phase will mechanically disperse into the other and form the dispersed phase, while the other becomes the continuous phase. In general, the particle size of the minor phase depends greatly on the composition, the viscoelasticity of the constituent components, the shear stress/rate and the interfacial tension between phases.…”

Preparation of cardanol based epoxy plasticizer by click chemistry and its action on poly(vinyl chloride)

“…And cardanol can improve the resistance to degradation, bacteria, termites and recession of materials. Cardanol can also improve the chemical and physical properties when applied as plasticizer of rubber . In the market, the plasticizer of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) accounts for the bulk of the total output.…”

Mixing efficiency in co‐rotating batch mixer for preparation of NR/EPDM blends

“…Therefore, the blends of NR and EPDM would theoretically exhibit combined properties, i.e., good thermal–ozone resistance in conjunction with good tack, mechanical, and dynamic properties 7. However, since the NR/EPDM blend is thermodynamically incompatible, the selection of a suitable vulcanizing system and the addition of a suitable homogenizing agent could significantly improve the homogeneity of the rubber blends, leading to the enhancement in properties of the blend vulcanizates 6, 8–11…”

“…7 However, since the NR/EPDM blend is thermodynamically incompatible, the selection of a suitable vulcanizing system and the addition of a suitable homogenizing agent could significantly improve the homogeneity of the rubber blends, leading to the enhancement in properties of the blend vulcanizates. 6,[8][9][10][11] In this work, the in-house developed intermeshing co-rotating batch mixer and a tangential counterrotating batch mixer were utilized to prepare 60/40 NR/EPDM blends. The phase morphology of NR/ EPDM blends from both mixers was compared.…”