Effects of graphene and carbon nanotubes on mechanical enhancement and heat generation of rubber composites

Abstract

Carbon nanofillers can enhance both thermal and mechanical properties of rubbers due to their high thermal conductivity and tensile strength at the nanoscale. But the effects of CNTs and GR on heat generation of rubber composites are yet unclear. In this paper, carbon nanotubes/carbon black/nature rubber (CNTs/CB/NR) composites and graphene/carbon black/nature rubber (GR/CB/NR) composites were prepared by using GR and CNTs as partial replacements for carbon black, respectively. The interfacial interactions between fillers and the rubber matrix were calculated by the contact angle test, the filler-matrix network was characterized by rubber processing analyzer, and the glass transition temperature of the composite was measured by dynamic mechanical analysis. Compared with CNT or CB, GR can be well wetted by NR and uniformly distributed in NR, so there was a strong interfacial interaction between them. The better interfacial interaction will promote the formation of a good network structure between the filler and the NR, and the network structure between the filler and NR further restricts the movement of rubber molecule chains. Therefore, the heat generation by the movement of the molecule chains is decreased, and the mechanical properties of the rubber composites are increased.