Effect of titanium carbide powder as a filler on the mechanical properties of silicone rubber

Abstract

Silicone rubber is the most commonly used polymer. The properties include high and low temperature stability, inertness, odourless, high elasticity, durability, electrical properties and transparency. Silicone rubber is composed of silicone polymer and molecules like carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Recent times, some drawbacks like hardness, have emerged and there have been extensive efforts in research to improve its properties. This work is intended to study the effect of Titanium Carbide in particle form on the mechanical properties of Silicone Rubber. The amount of Titanium Carbide is 0, 1, 2 and 5 parts by weight per hundred parts of rubber [phr] taken in 4 samples. An experimental study has been conducted on all the samples to determine the mechanical properties of all the samples. The obtained results indicate the cure time increases at 1% TiC and reduces gradually, specific gravity increases constantly, tensile strength has maximum value at 1% TiC, tear strength shows its peak at 2% TiC, hardness of the samples increases gradually as the percentage of Titanium Carbide increases, elongation percentage has a peak value for 1% TiC sample.