Wood flour: A new filler for the rubber processing industry. II. Cure characteristics and mechanical properties of NBR compounds filled with corona‐treated wood flour

Abstract

Corona-treated wood flour was evaluated as a filler for NBR (nitrile butadiene rubber) compounds by studying its influence on their cure characteristics and mechanical properties. The different operating conditions of the corona treatment, such as voltage and duration, which led to different degrees of surface etching, were observed by means of electron microscopy. Accumulation of different oxygen-containing groups on the wood flour particles' surface was confirmed by means of ESCA. Wood flour-filled materials were thus obtained with varying final properties.The cure characteristics, mechanical parameters, and water adsorption of the composites were estimated to determine an optimum level of the wood flour surface modification. The corona treatment of the wood flour renders it into a semiactive filler.

Fabrication of Wood-Rubber Composites Using Rubber Compound as a Bonding Agent Instead of Adhesives

“…As a result, T s was reduced as shown in Figure 3. The similar trends of T s, E b and H a were reported by Vladkova et al [2,3]. …”

“…As an important renewable natural biomass resource, wood fiber from forest felling and processing residues, and waste wood products, has many desirable properties, such as easy availability, low density, low cost, and high stiffness, for new polymer composite development [1,2,3,4,5,6,7]. However, the drawbacks of wood, such as poor dimensional stability, swelling from moisture absorption and being easily attacked by fungi and insects, limit its wide application [8,9].…”

“…Vladkova et al [2,3,4,5] used corona-activated conifer wood flour as a filler and phenol-formaldehyde resin to make wood-rubber composites. Song and Hwang [18,19] found that the ratio of wood fiber to rubber particles and amount of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) significantly affected panel mechanical properties.…”

Unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) reinforced with flax fibers, untreated and cold He plasma-treated: thermal, mechanical and DMA studies

“…Cold plasma He treatments have been carried out on the fibers in order to improve adhesion with the matrix [7].…”

Plasma modification of natural cellulosic fibres

“…The improvement of the mechanical properties was explained by changes in the geometric area of the wood fl our particles, caused by surface etching of the corona treatment, and the accumulation of surface oxygen-containing groups that changed the surface polarity of the wood fl our particles. 79 …”