A Comparative Study on Curing Characteristics,Mechanical Properties,Swelling Behavior,Thermal Stability,and Morphology of Feldspar and Silica in SMR L Vulcanizates

Abstract

Comparison studies on effects of feldspar and silica (Vulcasil C) as a filler in (SMR L grade natural rubber) vulcanizates on curing characteristics, mechanical properties, swelling behavior, thermal analysis, and morphology were examined. The incorporation of both fillers increases the scorch time, t ₂, and cure time, t ₉₀, of SMR L vulcanizates. At a similar filler loading, feldspar exhibited longer t ₂ and t ₉₀ but lower values of maximum torque, M_HR, and torque difference, M_HR–M_L than did silica-filled SMR L vulcanizates. For mechanical properties, both fillers were found to be effective in enhancing the tensile strength (up to 10 phr), tensile modulus, and hardness of the vulcanizates. However, feldspar-filled SMR L vulcanizates showed lower values of mechanical properties than did silica-filled SMR L vulcanizates. Swelling measurement indicates that swelling percentages of both fillers-filled SMR L vulcanizates decrease with increasing filler loading whereas silica shows a lower swelling percentage than feldspar-filled SMR L vulcanizates. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) on fracture surface of tensile samples showed poor filler–matrix adhesion for both fillers with increasing filler loading in the vulcanizates. However, feldspar-filled SMR L vulcanizates showed poorer filler–matrix adhesion than did silica-filled SMR L vulcanizates. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results indicate that the feldspar-filled SMR L vulcanizates have higher thermal stability than do silica-filled SMR L vulcanizates.