Improvement of the mechanical and electrical properties of waste rubber with carbon nanotubes

Abstract

AbstractThe effect of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the stability of the mechanical and electrical properties of recycled waste rubber was experimentally investigated. The stress–strain curves of the composites were studied. The results show that the toughness, the area under the stress–strain curve, of the recycled rubber increased monotonically as a result of the addition of CNTs. The modulus of the nanocomposites increased by 28 times when only 5 wt % CNTs was added to the recycled rubber matrix. The effects of the cyclic fatigue and hysteresis for the composites were also examined. The strain energy density, dissipation energy, and linear damage accumulation versus the number of cycles are discussed for all of the samples. The analysis of the results showed that the strain energy density increased by 15 times at a CNT concentration of 5 wt %. The electrical properties were measured for all of the samples. The results indicate that the addition of CNTs to the recycled rubber improved its electrical conductivity by more than two orders. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci, 2011