The Carbon Black Sonofication Effects on Vulcanisate Properties of Natural Rubber

Abstract

The mechanical properties of natural rubber can be enhanced by the addition of carbon black. The mechanical properties change is highly affected by particle size and carbon black structure used. A modification of N660 carbon black was conducted in the research by sonoficating the carbon black for 3 and 5 hours (N600-M3; M5). The results of adding modified carbon black were characterised by Particle Size Analysis (PSA), Scanning Electron Microscopes - Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (SEM-EDS) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). The addition of modified carbon black shows bound rubber, thermal properties, and mechanical properties such as tensile strength, elongation at break and modulus 300% on the vulcanisate produced were increased from the vulcanisate that had been filled with N660 natural (N660-N). Keywords: natural rubber, carbon black, particle size, sonofication, characterisation