The behavior of natural rubber–epoxidized natural rubber–silica composites based on wet masterbatch technique

Abstract

Natural rubber-epoxidized natural rubber-silica composites were prepared by the wet masterbatch technique and the traditional dry mixing method. Performances of the composites based on different preparation methods were investigated with a moving die rheometer, an electronic universal testing machine, a dynamic mechanical analyzer, a nuclear magnetic resonance crosslink density analyzer, a rubber processing analyzer (RPA), a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The RPA, SEM, and TEM analyses indicated that silica has better dispersion, lower filler-filler interaction, and better filler-rubber interaction in compounds based on the wet masterbatch technique, leading to improvements in mechanical strength and the dynamic mechanical and compression properties of the composites. It also indicates that composites prepared by the wet masterbatch technique have shorter scorch time, faster curing velocity, and higher crosslink density. The composites prepared by the wet materbatch technique also have lower rolling resistance, which is an important property for their use as a green material for the tire industry.

Effect of different silane coupling agents on cryogenic properties of silica-reinforced epoxy composites

“…5–7 Therefore, many attempts have been made to improve the fracture toughness of epoxies by addition of particles like rubbers, or a thermoplastic polymer in the last few years. 8–12 But they often result in reductions of basic mechanical properties of the epoxy. Incorporation of rigid inorganic nanofillers into epoxy systems is an alternative technique to improve the physical and mechanical properties such as strength, stiffness, and modulus without decreasing the glass transition temperature ( T g ).…”

Effect of SiO2 Particles on the Relaxation Dynamics of Epoxidized Natural Rubber (ENR) in the Melt State by Time-Resolved Mechanical Spectroscopy

“…Therefore, a good understanding of the viscoelastic behavior of elastomer-based composites is required to gain a deeper knowledge of the reinforcement mechanisms for the systems and to fully exploit the potential of these materials. This is particularly important in some specific applications, such as tires, where the viscoelastic properties of the unfilled elastomer have to be preserved in order to achieve a high performance in terms of wet grip and rolling resistance [ 22 ].…”

Structure Evolution of Epoxidized Natural Rubber (ENR) in the Melt State by Time-Resolved Mechanical Spectroscopy

“…ENR has also been used as a compatibilizer or property modifier in polymer blends [9] and composites [10] due to the ability of the epoxy groups in ENR to interact with functional groups present on the filler surface, thereby avoiding the formation of particle agglomerates within the host matrix [11]. This can be exemplified by the work of Wang et al [12], exploiting the interfacial reactions, involving a ring-opening mechanism, between the epoxy groups of ENR and the silanol groups present on a silica surface. The highly enhanced rubber-filler interactions have given rise to large improvements in filler dispersion and in the mechanical properties of the resulting composites.…”