Insights into the compatibility of vegetable‐based plasticizers on the performance of filled rubber vulcanizates

Abstract

AbstractSubstitution of petroleum‐based processing oils with eco‐friendly sustainable plasticizers in rubber compounds has gained much global attention due to their toxicity. In this regard, so far, the major attempts have focused on substituting aromatic oils with fatty acid based vegetable oils. In this work, the chemical and physical effects of canola oil as a model of fatty acid based vegetable oils on the process‐ability, vulcanization kinetics, and final properties of carbon‐black filled styrene–butadiene rubbers are systematically investigated. In contrast to the previous studies, it was shown that although these types of vegetable oils have a plasticizing impact, they can indeed threaten the requirements of reinforcing criteria in rubber vulcanizates. The final properties of the vulcanizates were found to be deteriorated due to the incompatibility of canola oil fatty acids constituents with rubber matrix and especially as a result of chemical interference of their unsaturated bonds in sulfur vulcanization kinetics.