The mechanical properties of rubber compounds containing soft fillers

Rubber compounds are traditionally reinforced with carbon black or silica fillers of minute particle size. Prior studies in which much larger recycled rubber scrap has been incorporated, indicate that only low levels can be tolerated before significant deterioration in performance is noted. Failure can be superficially linked to macroscopic flaws as is commonly observed in both thermoplastics and elastomers. In this study a detailed examination of soft elastomeric fillers in a polybutadiene matrix is described. In particular the effect of filler hardness and interfacial bonding is stressed. An estimation of the interfacial adhesion is made from peel tests.     

Modification of dielectric and mechanical properties of rubber ferrite composites containing manganese zinc ferrite

Spinel ferrites constitute an important class of magnetic materials. Polycrystalline ferrites are a complex system composed of crystallite grain boundaries and pores. Manganese zinc ferrites have resistivities between 0.01 and 10 Ω m. Making composite materials of ferrites with either natural rubber or plastics will modify the electrical properties of ferrites. Composite materials are ideally suited for many modern applications where ceramic materials have some drawbacks. The mouldability and flexibility of these composites find wide use in industrial and other scientific applications. Mixed ferrites belonging to the series Mn_(1−x)Zn_xFe₂O₄ (MZF) were synthesized for different ‘x’ values in steps of 0.2. These pre-characterized ceramic ferrites were then incorporated in a natural rubber matrix. The dielectric properties of the ceramic manganese zinc ferrite and RFC were also studied. A program based on G programming was developed with the aid of LabVIEW package to automate the dielectric measurements. The dielectric permittivity of the RFC were then correlated with that of the corresponding dielectric permittivity of the magnetic filler and matrix by a mixture equation, which helps to tailor properties of the composites.     

Electrical properties of polyester elastomer composites containing metallic fillers

The electrical properties, namely d.c. and a.c. conductivity, of polyester elastomer filled with various metallic and ferrite fillers have been investigated as a function of temperature, frequency and filler concentration. The temperature dependence of resistivity exhibited two regions of low and high activation energy (E). The value of E the lower temperature region (I) decreased while in the higher temperature region (II) it increased with the increase of work function of the metal used. Only in the case of ferrite-filled composites could a positive temperature coefficient of resistance be observed. The frequency dependence of conductivity revealed that there is a very large intergranular capacitance which was even more in the case of ferrite-filled samples than in metal-filled ones. The various results have been explained on the basis of Schottky barrier formation and the depletion regions formed near the polymer-metal interface.NCL communication No. 5042.     

Physical and mechanical properties of foamed Portland cement composite containing crumb rubber from worn tires

The management of worn tires is a concern in industrialized countries. The application of crumb rubber as lightweight aggregate in cement based materials is a green alternative for reusing this material. High replacements of natural sand by crumb rubber were studied and an air-entraining agent was employed to ensure a cellular structure in the cement-based composite. The obtained results from tests in fresh state reveal an improvement in workability. The tests conducted on hardened composite show promise for constructive applications where thermal and acoustic properties are required. The minimum requirement of mechanical strength for masonry units was achieved, since compressive strengths varied between 1 and 10 MPa. Finally, potential applications as a construction material have been highlighted.     

高热导率无机填料／硅橡胶复合绝缘材料的电性能

分别添加不同含量的微米Al2O3（0．5～3μm）、微米Si3N4（O．3～3μm）和纳米Al2O3（13nm）,利用共混法制备了具有不同导热性能的无机填料／硅橡胶复合材料。填料体积分数为30％时,通过改变微米Si3N4和纳米Al2O3体积比,发现微米Si3N4和纳米Al2O3共填充的硅橡胶复合材料的热导率较微米Si3...     

Silicone rubber nanocomposites containing a small amount of hybrid fillers with enhanced electrical sensitivity

A conductive silicone rubber (SR) composite, filled with both carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon black (CB) is prepared by a simple ball milling method. Because of the good dispersion and synergistic effects of CNT and CB, the SR composite (SR with 2.5 phr CB and 1.0 phr CNT hybrid fillers) shows improvement in mechanical properties such as tensile strength and strain to failure. As well, due to the assembly of conductive pathways generated by the CNT and CB, the nanocomposite becomes highly conductive at a comparatively low concentration, with high sensitivity for tensile and compressive stress. Long-term measurement of properties shows that the SR composite maintains the excellent electrical properties under different strain histories. These outstanding properties show that the SR composite has potential applications in tensile and pressure sensors.     

环保型水切割胶粉对天然橡胶力学性能和动态性能的影响

采用环保型水切割胶粉及力化学改性胶粉（MRP）与天然橡胶（NR）复合制备胶粉-NR复合胶,并探讨了胶粉用量对复合胶力学性能和动态性能的影响。通过红外和热失重分析确定了胶粉的主要成分为NR和丁苯橡胶（SBR）,且改性后胶粉大分子链结构未发生明显变化。通过橡胶加工分析仪研究了胶粉用量及改性对复合胶加工性能的影响。采用炭黑分散仪研究并观察了胶粉在NR中的分散情况。结果表明,胶粉改性后与NR的相容性提高,二者界面结合力增大,MRP-NR复合胶加工性能改善。炭黑分散结果表明,胶粉用量越多,其分散性越差,改性后胶粉的分散性提高,MRP-NR复合胶的力学性能最优,拉伸强度为27.9 MPa。     

The deterioration of mechanical properties of chloroprene rubber in various conditions

The changes of mechanical properties of chloroprene rubber, used as a jacket material for electric cables in nuclear power generating stations, were investigated under various deterioration environments. The heat resistant properties of the rubber material were measured at various temperatures using a stress relaxation method. From the view point of stress-strain behaviour and chemorheology, the addition of antioxidant and/or antirad reagent to the rubber improves the resistance to heat and/or radiation, respectively. The effects of dose-rate and surrounding atmosphere on the mechanical properties of rubber under radiation were also studied. The radiation damage of rubber was accelerated remarkably under a pressure of 90 atm of air. A vibration fatigue test under heat and radiation was also performed.     

The mechanical properties of ternary composites of polypropylene with inorganic fillers and elastomer inclusions

The effect of elastomer volume fraction and phase morphology on the elastic modulus of ternary composites polypropylene (PP)/ethylene-propylene rubber (EPR)/inorganic filler containing 30 vol % of either spherical or lamellar filler has been investigated. Phase morphology was controlled using maleated polypropylene (MPP) and/or maleated ethylene-propylene elastomer (MEPR). As revealed by SEM observations, composites of MPP/EPR/filler exhibit separation of the filler and elastomer and good adhesion between MPP and the filler, whereas composites of PP/MEPR/filler exhibit encapsulation of the filler by MEPR. Composite models were utilized to estimate upper and lower bounds for the elastic modulus of these materials, which is strongly dependent on the morphology of the ternary composite. A model based on the Kerner equation for perfect separation of the soft inclusions and rigid fillers gives a good prediction of the upper limit for relative elastic modulus as a function of filler and elastomer volume fractions. The lower limit, achieved in the case of perfect encapsulation, depends significantly on the particle shape. Good agreement was found between experimental data and lower limits predicted using the Halpin-Tsai equation for lamellar filler and the Kerner-Nielsen equation for spherical filler. In order to calculate reinforcing efficiency of the core-shell inclusions, the finite element method (ANSYS 4.4A, GT STRUDL) has been used.     

The effect of fillers on the interfacial polymer properties from cryogenic dynamic mechanical measurements

Dynamic mechanical measurements were used to study the effect of high surface area carbon black and fused silica fillers and a number of simple organic diluents on the SBR (31.6 mol% styrene) peak, which is associated with small main chain motions of trans polybutadiene units. The amount of molecular motion eliminated from the glassy state by carbon black was greater than fused silica, indicating stronger polymer-filler interaction. The degree of interaction between polymer and filler at the interface affects polymer motion further removed from the filler surface. The reasons for this phenomenon are discussed. It is proposed that dilatational stresses resulting from the mismatch in the coefficients of expansion of filler and matrix are the cause of shifts in relaxation spectra to lower temperatures, which are more pronounced when polymer-filler interaction is weak. The toughness of the matrix near the interface is discussed in terms of polymer-filler interaction, the dilatational stresses and resulting shifts in the relaxation spectra. The effect of diluents on polymer motion in relation to diluent structure show no significant trends and is difficult to interpret without information on the percentage of diluent molecules existing in diluent clusters.     

The use of different alumina fillers for improvement of the mechanical properties of hybrid PMMA composites

Alumina fillers having different morphologies were used for reinforcement of PMMA-based composite materials. The employed fillers had the same chemical composition but morphologically were spherical nanoparticles, whiskers and an electrospun product that was composed of micro-sized mostly spherical particles and nanofibers. The electrospun product was obtained from aluminum chloride hydroxide/PVA/water solution. All fillers were added without surface treatment and mechanical characteristics of obtained composites were determined using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and nanoindentation. From the nanoindentation results, the reduced elastic modulus for the obtained specimens using 3 wt.% of electrospun product was 134% of the one obtained with the polymer alone and the hardness was improved to 157.8% compared to the polymer without any additive. DMA shows that the storage modulus at room temperature was twice that of the polymer alone.     

Modified calcium silicates as active rubber fillers

The physicochemical characteristics of calcium silicates obtained from the reaction of sodium metasilicate solution with calcium nitrate are given. Further, studies of the modification of the silicate surface with silane and titanate coupling agents are presented. By wettability measurements and an analysis of the chemically adsorbed carbon arising from the coupling agents, the degree of modification of these surfaces was estimated. The modification of the surface of the silicates with the same agents, but in the presence of acid protons, was also performed with a positive effect. The usefulness of modifications is justified by the results of strength studies of vulcanizates filled with the modified silicates.     

Cure and mechanical properties of recycled NdFeB-natural rubber composites

Magnetic polymer composites containing recycled neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) powder and natural rubber (NR) were prepared by the two-roll mill technique. Their mechanical and cure properties were studied as a function of NdFeB loading from 0–120 phr. With increasing magnetic loading, the cure time of the NdFeB-NR composites were exponentially decreased because of the reduction of the polymer chain crosslink. The tensile strength of the NR compound, related to the cure characteristics, was reduced by 40% by the addition of 10 phr NdFeB fillers because of the inhibition of the stress-induced crystallization. However, the variation in loading from 30–90 phr has modest effects on the tensile strength as well as elongation at break and the hardness. Furthermore, recycled NdFeB-NR composites had higher modulus and lower percentage of swelling in this magnetic loading regime. Simple tests confirmed the distribution of magnetic stray field around pieces of NdFeB-NR composites.     

Microwave properties of polymer composites containing combinations of micro- and nano-sized magnetic fillers

We investigated the microwave absorbing properties of composite bulk samples with nanostructured and micron-sized fillers. As magnetic fillers we used magnetite powder (Fe3O4 with low magnetocrystalline anisotropy) and strontium hexaferrite (SrFe12O9 with high magnetocrystalline anisotropy). The dielectric matrix consisted of silicone rubber. The average particle size was 30 nm for the magnetite powder and 6 micro/m for the strontium hexaferrite powder. The micron-sized SrFe12O19 powder was prepared using a solid-state reaction. We investigated the influence of the filler concentration and the filler ratio (Fe3O4/SrFe12O19) in the polymer matrix on the microwave absorption in a large frequency range (1 / 18 GHz). The results obtained showed that the highly anisotropic particles become centers of clusterification and the small magnetite particles form magnetic balls with different diameter depending on the concentration. The effect of adding micron-sized SrFe12O19 to the nanosized Fe3O4 filler in composites absorbing structures has to do with the ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) shifting to the higher frequencies due to the changes in the ferrite filler's properties induced by the presence of a magnetic material with high magnetocrystalline anisotropy. The two-component filler possesses new values of the saturation magnetization and of the anisotropy constant, differing from those of both SrFe12O1919 and Fe3O4, which leads to a rise in the effective anisotropy field. The results demonstrate the possibility to vary the composite's absorption characteristics in a controlled manner by way of introducing a second magnetic material.     

应变率对硫化橡胶压缩力学性能的影响

利用分离式霍普金森压杆(SHPB)和材料实验机MTS810对硫化橡胶进行动态和准静态单轴压缩实验,获得硫化橡胶的应力-应变响应曲线,研究了应变率对其压缩力学性能的影响。实验结果表明,硫化橡胶在低应变率时的应变率效应不明显,然而在较高应变率时,应变率对其动态应力-应变关系有明显的影响,弹性模量、屈服应力以及流动应力都随应变率的增大而增大。采用基于应变能函数理论的橡胶本构模型来描述硫化橡胶压缩荷载下的力学行为。数值模拟了硫化橡胶的应力-应变历程,并与实验数据进行比较,结果显示两者吻合良好。     

Physico-mechanical properties of aerated cement composites containing shredded rubber waste

The study reported in this paper was undertaken to investigate the physico-mechanical properties of aerated cement composite with rubber waste particles, in order to produce usable materials in cellular concrete applications. The material, containing different amounts of rubber particles as replacement to cement by volume, was aerated by artificially entrapping air voids by means of a new proteinic air-entraining agent. Results from tests performed on fresh composite have shown many attractive properties, such as improvement in workability and air-entrained with high stability of air-bubbles in the matrix. A study conducted on hardened composite properties has indicated a significant reduction in sample unit weight, thereby resulting in a level of compressive strength compatible with a load-bearing wall. The reduction in flexural strength was lower than that in compressive strength. The results have shown that the presence of air voids and rubber particles in the matrix reduces the elasticity dynamic modulus, which indicates a high level of sound insulation of the composite. This study has also highlighted the effect of the proteinic air-entraining agent on the cement matrix/rubber interaction system, as regards the composite’s mechanical strength.     

The effect of carbon black concentration on the dynamic mechanical properties of bromobutyl rubber

The effect of carbon black concentration on the dynamic mechanical properties of bromobutyl rubber vulcanizates has been studied over a wide range of temperature (– 150 to + 250 °C), frequency (3.5 to 110 Hz) and dynamic strain amplitude (0.07 to 5%). The influence of carbon black concentration on the glass-rubber transition has also been investigated with respect to the isochronal variation in dynamic properties. The influence of carbon black concentration consists mainly of the change in the levels of the moduli values in the glassy and rubbery state. In the glassy region; the increase in stiffness with carbon black loading may be fully explained by the hydrodynamic effect of the carbon black particles embedded in the polymer continuum. With increased carbon black concentration the glass-rubber transition temperature (tan peak temperature) does not show a shift in its location but peak shoulder broadening and decrease in peak height are observed. At a particular temperature, the effect of carbon black concentration on dynamic properties of bromobutyl rubber is dependent on the combined effects of applied strain amplitude and frequency. With increase in filler concentration the thermal stability of the vulcanizate increases.