Dynamic Mechanical Behavior, Solvent Resistance and Thermal Degradation of Nitrile Rubber Composites With Carbon Black‐Halloysite Nanotube Hybrid Fillers

Abstract

In this work, nitrile rubber (NBR) conventional composites containing 70 phr carbon black (CB) is taken for study. New NBR hybrid composites containing 60 phr of CB and varied halloysite nanotube (HNT) loading of 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 phr were developed. Experimental investigations were carried out to study the synergistic effect of CB and HNT on the dynamical mechanical properties, solvent resistance, thermal stability and degradation kinetics of NBR hybrid composites. Morphological analysis using X‐ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) revealed the presence of intercalated structures and formation of local CB‐HNT filler network in the NBR matrix. The glass transition temperatures (Tg) of hybrid composites were raised with the addition of HNT which indicates strong interfacial adhesion between NBR–CB–HNT. Dynamic mechanical analysis and solvent uptake studies revealed that replacement of 10 phr CB by 6 phr HNT in hybrid composites improved the storage modulus by 44% at 30°C and solvent resistance by 29%, respectively. Most importantly, the incorporation of HNT could effectively improve the thermal stability of the NBR hybrid composites according to thermogravimetric analysis and oxidation induction time studies. The activation energy of the thermal decomposition of the hybrid composites increased with the addition of HNT. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:E1612–E1621, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers