Mechanical and magneto-mechanical properties of styrene-butadiene-rubber-based magnetorheological elastomers conferred by novel filler-polymer interactions

Abstract

This study was undertaken to explore the mechanical and magneto-mechanical properties of styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) based magnetorhelogical elastomers (MREs) reinforced with carbonyl iron particles (CIP) as a primary filler. Nanocarbon materials such as nano carbon black (NCB) and few layer graphene (FLG) were used as secondary fillers to reinforce the rubber matrix. The key purpose of this study is to demonstration how the mechanical and magneto-mechanical properties of MREs are related with filler-rubber interactions. CIP can reinforce rubber, although it contains micron size particles, and improvements in moduli and fracture toughness values indicate the formation of filler-rubber networks and interactions between the π-electrons of benzene and the d-orbital electrons of iron. Optimization of CIP filler loadings in SBR was performed using mechanical properties. Tensile strength and elongation at break were increased by increasing CIP loadings up to 15 vol%, and the addition of FLG at 2 vol% further improved mechanical and magneto-mechanical properties as compared with 17 vol% CIP in SBR-based MREs. The study shows that the addition of nano reinforcing filler and an optimum amount of magnetic filler enhances magnetic and mechanical properties, which would be useful for high-energy smart damping systems.