Abstract
The effect of various amounts of carboxylated nitrile butadiene rubber (XNBR) functionalized halloysite nanotubes (XHNTs) on the cure characteristics, mechanical and swelling behavior of XNBR/epoxy compounds was experimentally and theoretically investigated. The morphology of the prepared XNBR/epoxy/XHNTs nanocomposites was imaged using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effects of various XNBR-grafted nanotubes on the damping factor of nanocomposites were evaluated by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). The cure behavior characterization indicated a fall in the scorch time, but a rise in the cure rate with higher loading of XHNTs into the XNBR/epoxy nanocomposites. SEM micrographs of tensile fracture surfaces were indicative of a rougher fracture surface with a uniform dispersion state of nanotubes into the polymer matrix in the XNBR/epoxy/XHNTs nanocomposites. The stress–strain behavior studies of XNBR/epoxy/XHNTs nanocomposites showed a higher tensile strength up to 40% with 7 wt % XHNTs loading. The theoretical predictions of uniaxial tensile behavior of nanocomposites using Bergström–Boyce model revealed that some of the material parameters were considerably changed with the XHNTs loading. Furthermore, the used theoretical model precisely predicted the nonlinear large strain hyperelastic behavior of nanocomposites.
Highlights
Rubber composites and nanocomposites have received continued attention in recent years [1,2,3].A wide variety of nanoparticles were examined in detail in various rubber matrices to achieve higher properties [4,5,6]
Our findings suggested a detailed study of the cure behavior and mechanical characteristics of the XNBR/epoxy nanocomposites containing various concentrations of XNBR grafted halloysite nanotubes (XHNTs)
The mechanical behavior of large strain rubber like materials such as XNBR/epoxy/XHNTs nanocomposites could be predicted through using Bergström–Boyce model which was discussed in details in our previous work [23]
Summary
Rubber composites and nanocomposites have received continued attention in recent years [1,2,3]. The nanocomposites of polyamide 6 (PA6)/nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) containing various concentrations of pristine and silane modified HNTs were investigated and found that the introduction of silane modified HNTs into the PA6/NBR TPEs cause a rise in the tensile strength and Young’s modulus of polymer matrix due to the physical structure of the nanotubes and their interactions with PA6 [19]. Our findings suggested a detailed study of the cure behavior and mechanical characteristics of the XNBR/epoxy nanocomposites containing various concentrations of XNBR grafted halloysite nanotubes (XHNTs). The predictions on the stiffness analysis and uniaxial stress–strain behavior of nanocomposites were evaluated in comparison with the experimental results of tensile experiments of XNBR/epoxy/XHNTs containing various nanotube loadings
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