Electron Beam Radiation Crosslinking of Natural Rubber Prepared by Latex Mixing Filled Silica-Graphene Blend

Abstract

Silica/graphene (Si/GE) blends produced by conventional mixing method was added into natural rubber (NR) and subsequently vulcanized by latex mixing - electron beam (EB) irradiation to crosslink into NR composites. Characteristics investigation showed that Si and GE were held together with physical interaction. Tensile properties of NR composites were investigated. The results showed that EB irradiation could be used as a tool for crosslinking NR composites to improve their tensile properties. NR filled with 2.5 phr of the Si/0.056% wt GE blend vulcanized by EB irradiation dose at 150 KGy (NR/Si/0.0565GE-EB) showed the highest tensile strength, acceptable moduli at 100, 300 and 500% modulus. The tear strength of the composite was higher than that of NR filled with only Si (NR/Si-EB). It was found that too much GE content in Si/GE blends degraded the composites and lower the tensile strength.