Abstract
Fibrous carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and lamellar graphene oxide (GO) exhibit significant advantages for improving the fatigue properties of rubber composites. In this work, the synergistic effect of CNTs and GO on the modification of the microstructure and fatigue properties of natural rubber (NR) was comprehensively investigated. Results showed that CNTs and GO were interspersed, and they formed a strong filler network in the NR matrix. Compared with those of CNT/NR and GO/NR composites, the CNT-GO/NR composites showed the smallest crack precursor sizes, the lowest crack growth rates, more branching and deflections, and the longest fatigue life.
Highlights
Due to its excellent elasticity and viscoelasticity, natural rubber (NR) is widely used in the manufacturing of various products such as tires, hoses, conveyor belts, seals, and shock-absorbing and damping components [1]
The carbon nanotubes (CNTs) bundles were added into the graphene oxide (GO)/NR masterbatch to obtain the CNT-GO/NR composite via mechanical blending
CNTs were significantly stronger than that formed by the GO sheets only, which was further composite were higher than those of the GO/NR composite
Summary
Due to its excellent elasticity and viscoelasticity, natural rubber (NR) is widely used in the manufacturing of various products such as tires, hoses, conveyor belts, seals, and shock-absorbing and damping components [1]. More than 60 phr of spherical fillers, such as: carbon black and silica, are added into the rubber matrix to improve its fatigue properties. The addition of a large amount of fillers can lead to their poor dispersion in the rubber matrix. The filler networks by formed by GO or CNTs with spherical carbon black were enhanced, due to the large aspect ratios of GO or CNTs. The enhanced filler network withstood a large stress, consumed more energy, and resisted crack propagation. Inspired by the complicated filler network, CNTs and GO with large aspect ratios were both introduced into the NR matrix to explore the effect of CNTs-GO network on the fatigue performance of the NR composites in this research. The fatigue properties were thoroughly investigated, including the uniaxial fatigue life, crack precursor size, crack growth rate, and crack tip propagation path
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