Influence of Novel Electron Beam Modified Surface Treated Dual Phase Filler on Rheometric and Mechanical Properties of Styrene Butadiene Rubber Vulcanizates

Abstract

Abstract Rheometric and mechanical properties, hysteresis and swelling behavior of the Styrene-Butadiene Rubber vulcanizates (SBR) filled with unmodified and novel electron beam modified surface treated dual phase fillers were investigated. Scorch time increases for these modified filler loaded vulcanizates due to introduction of quinone type oxygen on the surface. Electron beam modification of dual phase filler in the absence of trimethylol propanetriacrylate (TMPTA) or triethoxysilylpropyltetrasulphide (Si-69) significantly improves the modulus of the SBR vulcanizates, whereas the values of tensile strength and elongation at break drop. However, presence of TMPTA or silane slightly increases the modulus with significant improvement in tensile strength. This effect is more pronounced at higher loading of these modified fillers in SBR vulcanizates. These variations in modulus and tensile strength are explained by the equilibrium swelling data, Kraus plot and a new mathematical model interpreting the polymer-filler interaction. Hysteresis loss ratio of SBR vulcanizates loaded with irradiated fillers in absence and presence of TMPTA or silane increases due to highly aggregated structure of the filler.