Improvements in the degree of filler dispersion and tensile properties of N550 and N220 carbon blacks-filled natural rubber composites using alkanolamide

Abstract

Effects of incorporation of ALK – alkanolamide - on the degree of carbon black (CB) dispersion and tensile properties of two kinds of CBs-filled natural rubber (NR) composites were examined. The N550 and N220 kinds of CBs were utilized, each of CBs was separately incorporated to composites with a certain incorporation, thirty parts per-hundred rubber (phr). The ALK was laboratory prepared and added into the composites at 3, 5, 7 and 9 phr. From the overall results, ALK was an internal plasticiser for the composites. It enhanced degree of filler dispersion by decrease the composites viscosity. The higher ALK loading caused in a better degree of filler dispersion. At a similar ALK incorporation, degree of N220 dispersion was poorer compared to N550. ALK also increased torque difference, tensile strength and also tensile moduli up to optimum incorporations. A five phr of ALK was the optimum incorporations for N550 and three phr was for N220. The ALK enhanced elongation at break of the composites. The higher ALK incorporation, the higher were elongation at break. At a similar ALK incorporation, elongation at break of N220 was longer compared to N550.