Improving Mechanical Properties and Thermal Conductivity of Styrene-Butadiene Rubber via Enhancing Interfacial Interaction Between Rubber and Graphene Oxide/Carbon Nanotubes Hybrid

Abstract

To fully utilize the fascinating comprehensive properties of graphene oxide (GO) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), GO was used to promote the dispersion of carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CC) in rubber matrix. Additionally, carboxylated acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (xNBR) was used to enhance the interfacial interaction between the styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) and the GO/CC hybrid fillers for the formation of hydrogen bonds between the oxygenated functional groups of GO/CC hybrid fillers and the carboxyl groups of xNBR. Moreover, the interfacial interaction was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and further proved by differential scanning calorimetry. As a result, the mechanical property and thermal conductivity of SBR composites were improved significantly compared with the neat SBR vulcanizate, which were much higher than those of the SBR composites without xNBR. In contrast to adding GO/CNTs directly to the rubber matrix, enhancing the interfacial interaction between GO/CC hybrid fillers and rubber matrix as demonstrated herein is a valuable strategy to prepare rubber composites with remarkable comprehensive properties.