Abstract
The processing, curing, mechanical, and morphological characteristics of natural rubber (NR) filled with nanostructured silica (NS) were discussed in this paper. NS was synthesized at 60-90°C using bagasse ash as raw material. NR was mixed with NS using Haake Rheomix equipped with roller rotors. Curing kinetics of NR compounds was studied using the data obtained from a moving die rheometer. Lower compounding temperature and lower compound viscosity were observed with increasing silica synthesis temperature. Highest bound rubber content and modulus at break were found at natural rubber filled with silica synthesized at 70°C. The state-of-mix of the filler was found to increase with increasing silica synthesis temperature. The curing curve obtained showed that the vulcanization kinetics follow autocatalytic model.
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