Mechanical,thermal, and barrier properties of NBR/organosilicate nanocomposites

Nanocomposites of intercalated and exfoliated organosilicates in acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) were prepared by a solution‐blending method. The dispersion and intergallery spacings of organosilicates in these nanocomposites were examined by transmission electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction. Dramatic enhancements in the mechanical and thermal properties of NBR are found by incorporating less than ten parts of organosilicate. In particular, the addition of ten parts of organosilicate provided a more than sixfold increase in tensile strength, a twofold increase in M500, and 168% and 39% enhancements in tear strength and elongation at break compared with pure NBR. The degradation temperature for NBR with ten‐parts' loading of organosilicate was 25°C higher than that of pure NBR. In addition, the relative vapor permeability of the NBR nanocomposites for water and methanol were 85% and 42% lower, respectively, than that of pure NBR. Polym. Eng. Sci. 44:2117–2124, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.