Abstract
The significant factor that determines the improvement of properties in rubber by the incorporation of nanoclay is its distribution in the rubber matrix. The simple mixing of nonpolar rubber and organically modified nanoclay will not contribute for the good dispersion of nanofiller in the rubbery matrix. Hence a polar rubber like epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) can be used as a compatibilizer in order to obtain a better dispersion of the nanoclay in the matrix polymer. Epoxidized natural rubber and organically modified nanoclay composites (EC) were prepared by solution mixing. The nanoclay employed in this study is Cloisite 20A. The obtained nanocomposites were incorporated in styrene butadiene-rubber (SBR) compounds with sulphur as a curing agent. The morphology observed through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) shows that the nanoclay is highly intercalated in ENR, and further incorporation of EC in SBR matrix leads to partial exfoliation of the nanoclay. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis showed an increase in storage modulus and lesser damping characteristics for the compounds containing EC loading in SBR matrix. In addition, these compounds showed improvement in the mechanical properties.
Highlights
Reinforcement of polymer with nanosized particles is a promising technique that affords to enhanced performance of the materials
Montmorillonite (MMT) is the most commonly used layered silicate because of its natural occurrence and beneficial properties. This filler has drawn a great deal of attention, when layered silicates were dispersed in the polymer matrix at the nanoscale level and the reinforcement ability was improved by replacing the inorganic exchange cations in the galleries of the clay by alkyl ammonium surfactants
The enhancement in the mechanical properties is due to the better dispersion of ENR—nanoclay composites (EC) in the styrene butadiene-rubber (SBR) matrix and rubber-filler interaction as corroborated form X-ray diffraction (XRD) results and HR-TEM images
Summary
Reinforcement of polymer with nanosized particles is a promising technique that affords to enhanced performance of the materials. Montmorillonite (MMT) is the most commonly used layered silicate because of its natural occurrence and beneficial properties This filler has drawn a great deal of attention, when layered silicates were dispersed in the polymer matrix at the nanoscale level and the reinforcement ability was improved by replacing the inorganic exchange cations in the galleries of the clay by alkyl ammonium surfactants. It is composed of silicate layers with thicknesses 1 nm, interlayers spacing between the stacked layers of about 1 nm and very high aspect ratios [1]. The changes obtained in the morphology and mechanical properties have been analyzed
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