Filler Interaction Research Articles

Effect of Fillers on the Recovery of Rubber Foam: From Theory to Applications.

Natural rubber foam (NRF) can be prepared from concentrated natural latex, providing specific characteristics such as density, compression strength, compression set, and so on, suitable for making shape-memory products. However, many customers require NRF products with a low compression set. This study aims to develop and prepare NRF to investigate its recoverability and other related characteristics by the addition of charcoal and silica fillers. The results showed that increasing filler loading increases physical and mechanical properties. The recoverability of NRF improves as silica increases, contrary to charcoal loading, due to the higher specific surface area of silica. Thermodynamic aspects showed that increasing filler loading increases the compression force (F) as well as the proportion of internal energy to the compression force (Fu/F). The entropy (S) also increases with increasing filler loading, which is favorable for thermodynamic systems. The activation enthalpy (∆Ha) of the NRF with silica is higher than the control NRF, which is due to rubber–filler interactions created within the NRF. A thermodynamic concept of crosslinked rubber foam with filler is proposed. From theory to application, in this study, the NRF has better recoverability with silica loading.

Detailed investigation of the reinforcing effect of halloysite nanotubes-filled epoxidized natural rubber

The properties of rubber composite depend on the compatibility between rubber and filler. This is specifically of concern when preparing composites with very different polarities of the rubber matrix and the filler. Natural rubber (NR) and halloysite nanotubes (HNT) are one of the examples of the incompatible system. Epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) was used as the main matrix, with halloysite nanotubes (HNT) as a filler, in order to obtain composites with improved performance. ENR was prepared in house using performic acid with a controlled reaction time to obtain samples with mole epoxide levels from 10 to 40 mol%. Varying the mole epoxide levels was expected to optimize the formulation for this rubber composite. The compounds obtained were then investigated for the rubber–filler interactions of the ENR and HNT. By increasing the mole percentage of epoxide, the scorch and cure times were decreased while the maximum torque and torque differences increased. The ENR at 40 mol% epoxide exhibited least filler–filler interaction as shown from the Payne effect together with the supporting result from FTIR spectrum. However, this ENR compound did not yield the optimum tensile strength due to the constraint on the rubber–filler interaction. This study revealed that the use of ENR with a suitable mole percent of epoxide can dramatically reduce the filler–filler interaction and hence enhance the dispersion of HNT, which was seen from SEM micrographs, and resulted in enhancement of the mechanical and dynamical properties of the composites.

Highly CO2 selective mixed matrix membranes of polysulfone based on hetaryl modified SBA-16 particles

Mixed matrix membranes were prepared by incorporating pyrazole functionalized SBA-16 type mesoporous silica as filler in polysulfone (PSf) matrix. The structure, morphology, and porosity of functionalized filler were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, scanning electron microscope (SEM) images, 13C NMR spectra and N2 adsorption-desorption analysis. A good uniform interaction of filler with polymer matrix was observed for all membranes. The porosity of filler enhanced the CO2 gas diffusivity through the membrane leading to increased CO2 permeability of up to 14.43 Barrer (116% increase) at the highest filler loading of 30%. The presence of CO2-philic functional groups resulted in a simultaneous increase in both ideal and mixed gas CO2/N2 selectivity of 42.44 and 46.13 respectively (68.34% and 87.06% increase respectively), compared to non-functionalized filler).

Thermal behavior and water absorption kinetics of polylactic acid/chitosan biocomposites

In this study, biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA)/chitosan (Cs) composites were produced via melt compounding and compression molding techniques. Various chitosan loadings of 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 parts per hundred parts of polymer (php) were incorporated into PLA and its effects on thermal, water absorption kinetics, tensile and morphological characteristics were investigated systematically. Thermal analysis indicated that an increase in chitosan loading of up to 10 php enhanced the crystallinity percentage (χc) of neat PLA to an extent of 51%, yet reduced the thermal stability of the resulting biocomposites. The kinetic study results revealed that water absorption of PLA/Cs biocomposites approached the Fickian diffusion behavior. The maximum water uptake (Msat) increased with chitosan addition, which can be attributed to stronger water–filler interaction. This was correlated to higher diffusion (D), solubility (S) and permeability (P) coefficients, which suggested the acceleration in diffusion rate and better water permeation through the biocomposites. In addition, the tensile results of dry samples showed enhancement in tensile strength and tensile modulus by 2% and 14%, respectively, relative to neat PLA through the incorporation of 2.5 php of chitosan loading. However, the water-immersed biocomposites demonstrated deterioration in all tensile properties (tensile strength, tensile modulus, and elongation-at-break values) which signified hydrolytic polymer degradation. This was confirmed by the FESEM micrographs of the fractured surfaces which exhibited filler pulled-out phenomenon and cavity formation after 50 days of water immersion.

CARBON NANOHORN–BASED NBR HYBRID NANOCOMPOSITES

ABSTRACT Carbon nanohorn (CNH)–filled elastomer hybrid nanocomposites were prepared based on NBR. Three different CNH types were analyzed, each featuring various characteristics such as aggregate structure, specific surface area, surface energy distribution, and electrical conductivity and resulting in different potentials regarding the properties of the developed elastomers. For the CNH types, a high tendency of agglomeration was observed in the pristine state, indicating the need for an effective strategy to break up the agglomerates during the mixing or the compounding procedure to realize their incorporation and sufficient dispersion in a polymer matrix. In addition to the melt mixing technology by means of an internal lab mixer, a discontinuous static and a continuous dynamic latex compounding process were used. Carbon nanotubes and a highly conductive carbon black (Printex) were used as hybrid fillers in the compounds mixed by melt mixing, whereas two different types of carbon black (Printex and Derussol) were also incorporated in the latex experiments. Hybrid nanocomposites with low content of CNHs (≤1 wt%) show an improvement in dynamic-mechanic and physical properties due to distinctive polymer–filler interactions. Dealing with higher amounts of CNHs leads to filler reagglomeration, resulting in deterioration of the elastomer properties. For the electric conductivity assessment, addition of CNH indicates no synergistic effects and no significant increase of the hybrid compounds, which is demonstrated in dielectric measurements, although pristine CNHs are conductive themselves. Elastomer compounds processed via the latex method show enhanced material performance by using the continuous dynamic latex compounding, which is mainly attributed to the dispersion of the hybrid filler.

Ferroelectric ceramic dispersion to enhance the β phase of polymer for improving dielectric and ferroelectric properties of the composites

Ferroelectric ceramic–polymer composites consisting of Poly Vinyledine Fluoride–Hexa Fluoro Propylene (PVDF-HFP) as polymer host and 0.5Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3−0.5(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 (BZT-BCT) ceramics as filler were prepared using solution casting technique. These composites are characterized for structural, microstructural, vibrational, optical, dielectric and ferroelectric properties at various experimental conditions. The electroactive β phase fraction (observed from XRD and FTIR analysis) increases as the filler concentration increases up to 20 wt% of BZT-BCT and above that its value decreases. FTIR results were analyzed to understand the mechanism of enhancement of β phase by the interaction between negatively surface charged ions of filler with the CH2 dipole of polymer matrix. UV–visible spectroscopy also employed to confirm polymer–ceramic filler interaction. Variation of the dielectric constant with different filler concentrations is explained using the percolation theory. Finally, the interplay between the functional properties and the β phase is discussed in detail.

On the mechanical properties of atomic and 3D printed zeolite-templated carbon nanotube networks

Specific strength (strength/density) is a crucial factor while designing high load bearing architecture in areas of aerospace and defence. Strength of the material can be enhanced by blending with high strength component or, by compositing with high strength fillers but both the options has limitations such as at certain load, materials fail due to poor filler and matrix interactions. Therefore, researchers are interested in enhancing strength of materials by playing with topology/geometry and therefore nature is best option to mimic for structures whereas, complexity limits nature mimicked structures. In this paper, we have explored Zeolite-inspired structures for load bearing capacity. Zeolite-inspired structure were obtained from molecular dynamics simulation and then fabricated via Fused deposition Modeling. The atomic scale complex topology from simulation is experimentally synthesized using 3D printing. Compressibility of as-fabricated structures was tested in different direction and compared with simulation results. Such complex architecture can be used for ultralight aerospace and automotive parts.

Preparation, carbon black dispersibility and performances of novel biobased integral solution-polymerized styrene–butadiene rubber with β-myrcene bottlebrush segments

A series of green myrcene-based styrene–butadiene integral rubber were designed and prepared by anionic solution polymerization for solving the fossil depletion and achieving the excellent comprehensive performances, including SBR (75) + MR (25), r-SBMR, b-SBMR and s-b-SBMR. The RPA, SAXS, SEM and TEM results revealed that flexible side chain in myrcene bottlebrush segments, which was beneficial to spread and infiltrate on the surface of the filler, could significantly improve carbon black (CB) dispersibility and inhibit the strong filler–filler interactions. The degree of improvement in CB dispersibility can be ranked as follows: SBR (unmodified rubber) < SBR (75) + MR (25) (mechanical blending rubber) < r-SBMR (26) (random copolymerized rubber) < b-SBMR (26) (block copolymerized rubber) < s-b-SBMR (26) (star block copolymerized rubber). Furthermore, for the star-shaped integral rubber, rolling resistance decreased by 40.2%, wet skid resistance increased by 74.8%, and elongation at break increased by 8.30% without sacrificing the physical and mechanical properties compared with the unmodified SSBR/CB composites. The results show that the chain segment of the bottlebrush structure has reasonably obvious advantages over than that of the random distribution structure in improving the dynamic mechanical properties of rubber. On the basis of aforementioned assessment, we believe that CB-reinforced β-myrcene-based styrene–butadiene integrated rubber is a versatile and promising candidate for future tire tread elastomers.

Correlation between the Crosslink Characteristics and Mechanical Properties of Natural Rubber Compound via Accelerators and Reinforcement.

The extreme elasticity and reversible deformability of rubber, which is one of the most versatile polymers in modern society, is dependent on several factors, including the processing conditions, curing system, and types of additives used. Since the rubber’s mechanical properties are influenced by the existing structural crosslinks, their correlation with the crosslink characteristics of rubber was investigated using the equilibrium swelling theory of the Flory–Rehner equation and the rubber–filler interaction theory of the Kraus equation. Herein, we examined whether the accelerator and reinforcement agent quantitatively contributed to chemical cross-linkages and rubber–filler interaction. In conclusion, the accelerator content supported the chemically crosslinked structures of the monosulfides and the disulfides in natural rubber (NR). Additionally, these results demonstrated that the mechanical properties and the thermal resistance of NR were dependent on the crosslink characteristics. The findings of this study provide an insight into the development and application of NR products for the mechanical optimization of rubber-based products.

Antibacterial Nanocomposites of Polypropylene Modified with Silver-Decorated Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes

Polypropylene (PP) has some disadvantages when used in food packaging: PP does not have antibacterial properties, and it exhibits low barrier properties. In this study, nanocomposites of PP filled with different amounts of silver-decorated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-Ag) were fabricated. A new nanomaterial with silver had the advantage of providing antibacterial capabilities, and the contribution of MWCNTs was to reinforce mechanical properties. PP was melt-blended with MWCNTs-Ag, but the ensuing problem was the poor interfacial interaction of fillers with the polymer matrix, especially at high filler content. Nonetheless, a small quantity of fillers resulted in the following improvement in nanocomposite properties, relative to neat PP: better antibacterial ability, lower water vapor permeation flux, lower oxygen barrier performance, higher thermostability, faster crystallization rate and higher tensile strength. Therefore, nanocomposites formed from modifying PP with a low content of MWCNTs-Ag show promise in the field of packaging and medical material applications.

Microstructural design for enhanced mechanical and shape memory performance of polyurethane nanocomposites: Role of hybrid nanofillers of montmorillonite and halloysite nanotube

Herein, the effect of simultaneous incorporation of two silicate-based nanofillers, including montmorillonite (Mt) and halloysite nanotube (Hal), on mechanical and shape memory performance of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) nanocomposites was studied. Different amounts (1, 3, and 5 wt%) of Hal, Mt. and hybrid Hal:Mt. were embedded into TPU matrix, utilizing a melt mixing method. Morphological studies on the hybrid nanocomposites elucidated that appropriate dispersion and distribution were achieved. Higher transition temperatures, as well as lower degrees of crystallinity, were observed for TPU/Hal:Mt. nanocomposites, compared to the other counterparts. Dynamic-mechanical-analysis (DMA) results illustrated superior storage modulus in the hybrid nanocomposites in both glassy and rubbery regions owing to superlative polymer–filler interactions. According to the tensile measurements, the hybrid nanocomposites demonstrated remarkable improvements in Young's modulus as well as ultimate strength and elongation at break than those of solo-nanocomposites due to better stress transfer from the hybrid fillers to the TPU. Superior ameliorations of storage modulus, both in glassy and rubbery regions, consequently effectuated the shape memory performance of the hybrid nanocomposites. For instance, 5 wt% incorporation of the hybrid filler within the matrix enhanced shape fixity ratio, shape recovery ratio, and recovery speed by 6.1%, 2.9% and 2.3 s, respectively, compared to pristine TPU.

Effect of fluorescence labeling on mechanical properties of silica filled silicone rubber

The Silica filler has been successfully fluorescently labeled by bifunctional silane coupling agent and europium nitrate through chemical grafting method. The thermal weight loss of the labeled silica at 200 °C was 1.75%, which was lower than 3.57% before labeling. This indicated that the labeled material had good thermal stability below 200 °C, and the water content of the labeled filler decreased due to its reduced hydrophilicity on the surface of the filler. Polysiloxane was filled with labeled or unlabeled silica which had different filler loading levels (from 10 phr to 60 phr) by diluted mixing on the purpose of investigating effect of fluorescent labeling on the mechanical property of rubber composite. According to the results of laser confocal microscope 3D imaging and software calculation, the network connection rate increased from 23% to 60% with the increase of filling amount. When the filling contents are more than 40%, the mechanical properties of unlabeled silica filled silicone rubber decrease slightly, while the mechanical properties of labeled silica filled silicone rubber almost remain unchanged, which is related to the increase interaction of filler and matrix through organic functionalization on the surface of the latter. However, the influence trend of fillers on mechanical properties of the two systems is basically the same. Fluorescent labeled silica is expected to be an effective tool for the correlation between microstructure and mechanical properties.

Contribution of filler–filler interaction and filler aspect ratio in rubber reinforcement by silica and mica

The reinforcement degree offered by silica as a spherical filler with low aspect ratio and high filler–filler interaction was compared with mica as a platelet filler with higher aspect ratio and lower filler–filler interaction. By replacing half of the carbon black with silica or mica in a typical formulation, rubber composites were prepared and their properties were evaluated under two conditions: In the first one, the impact of increasing the amount of a chemical surface modifier, namely silane TESPT (bis triethoxysilylpropyl tetrasulfide), was investigated and in the second one, the increasing amount of a physical modifier namely DPG (diphenyl guanidine) on the performance of the two fillers was explored. The resulting composites were subjected to physico-mechanical experiments including the bound rubber, tensile test, and the dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). Results indicated that the greater amount of filler–filler interaction resulting from the higher SiO2 and hydroxyl content in silica has a dominating role over the aspect ratio of mica which is then led to a remarkable difference in their bound rubber. However, the mica-containing composites were capable of competing with silica when the DPG was used. Nevertheless, the compound only containing carbon black with 19.7 MPa of tensile strength and 24.4 kgf/cm of tear strength showed the best mechanical properties among other fillers, and by replacing 30 phr carbon black, these properties decreased approximately 15 ± 3%. Based on DMTA findings, promising data were obtained for the mica-reinforced rubbers with regard to the tire application.

Photocured conductive PANI/acrylate composites for digital light processing. Influence of HDODA crosslinker in rheological and physicochemical properties

The design of novel photocurable conductive acrylic composites demands thorough research to find appropriate balance between the relative concentrations of monofunctional/ multifunctional monomers, photoinitiators and conductive filler, besides adjusting polymerization conditions. Likewise, when an intrinsically conductive polymer such as polyaniline (PANI) is selected as conductive filler, the homogeneous distribution of its nanometric aggregates is essential to prevent heterogeneous curing due to its strong UV absorption. In this work, the influence of PANI-HCl on the physical properties of acrylic composites based on Ethyleneglycolphenylether acrylate (EGPEA) and Diphenyl(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)phosphine oxide (TPO), photoinitiator, was examined in the frame-work of the percolation model. Rheological testing combined with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used for efficient control of the filler dispersion in order to better understand the electrical conductivity-structure behaviour. Infrared Spectroscopy probed the degree of monomer conversion and the filler interaction with the polymer matrix, whereas the thermal properties were evaluated with the aim of establishing the maximum working temperatures. Above the percolation threshold, the formulation with 4.8 wt% PANI was selected as the most suitable composition achieving maximum conductivity (10-3 S cm−1) at the lowest PANI content. The problem of excessive aggregation of PANI clusters was tackled by the addition of a 15 wt% of the reactive diluent 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate (HDODA) to the previous formulation. The outcomes were improved dispersion and better integration of PANI nanorods within the acrylic matrix plus a smoother film surface, while retaining high electrical conductivity. The viscosity of the selected prepolymer formulations and penetration depth of UV photons gave encouraging results for the use of the developed compositions as anticorrosion coatings, digital light processing (DLP) or piezoelectric sensors. The high critical cure dosages obtained will be easily overcome by adjusting the type and/or amount of photoinitiator.

Impact of filler composition on mechanical and dynamic response of 3-D printed silicone-based nanocomposite elastomers

Cellular silicone reinforced with silica filler prepared using additive manufacturing (AM) have been used widely for vibrational damping and shockwave mitigation. The two most commonly printed cellular silicone structures, simple cubic (SC) and face-centered tetragonal (FCT) display distinctly different static and dynamic mechanical responses dependent upon structure. In this work, the relationship between filler size and composition with mechanical response is investigated using polydimethylsiloxane-based silicones filled with aluminum oxide, graphite, or titanium dioxide. SC and FCT structures of porous, periodic silicone pads were printed using new direct ink write (DIW) resin formulations containing up to 25 wt% of functional filler (TiO2, Al2O3, or graphite). All AM pads were characterized using mechanical techniques (DMA, compression). Dynamic compression experiments coupled with time-resolved X-ray phase contrast imaging were performed to obtain insights into role of filler interactions in the in situ evolution of shockwave coupling in these functional, periodic porous polymers.

Feasibility study of waste ceramic powder as a filler alternative for asphalt mastics using the DSR

Utilisation of recycled construction and demolition waste (CDW) within pavements is a beneficial substitution technique towards sustainability. Following this approach, this research investigates the feasibility of using waste ceramic powder as an alternative filler in mastics. To evaluate the performance of the alternative ceramic filler, its physical and chemical properties were compared to a commonly used mineral filler – limestone. Mastics were made using both fillers and the same reference bitumen. These unaged and Pressure Aging Vessel (PAV) aged materials were tested using the Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR) to measure the rheological properties and evaluate them using the 2 Springs-2 Parabolic Elements-1 Damper (2S2P1D) model. Furthermore, fatigue and rutting resistance tests the unaged bitumen and mastics were also done using the same machine. The aging index and bitumen–filler interaction values were also calculated. The results were synthesised in a single performance diagram for visual comparison of various parameters for different materials. Overall, after comparison of various parameters, it was observed that the ceramic powder can be effectively used as a filler alternative in asphalt, having higher stiffness, better aging characteristics, higher bitumen–filler interaction and rutting resistance and similar fatigue performance to that of the limestone mastic.

Characteristics and Mechanisms of Asphalt-Filler Interactions from a Multi-Scale Perspective.

Asphalt mastic plays an important role in asphalt mixtures for pavement engineering. Understanding the asphalt–filler interaction behavior is essential to improve the pavement performance of asphalt mastics. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the asphalt–filler interaction ability based on macro-rheological measurements and to investigate the asphalt–filler interaction mechanism associated with microstructural characteristics of asphalt mastics. First, the asphalt–filler interaction was characterized using macro-rheological features of asphalt mastics based on dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) tests. Second, the physico-chemical interaction between the asphalt and filler was qualitatively evaluated using a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer. Third, the asphalt–filler interaction behavior was investigated in terms of the micro-morphological properties of mineral fillers and asphalt mastics by conducting scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM) tests. Finally, the grey relational analysis (GRA) was employed to identify the correlation between the properties of mineral fillers and the macro–micro performances of asphalt mastics. The results show that a higher content of alkaline mineral filler within the critical volume fraction range produced a greater interaction ability between the asphalt and filler. The asphalt–filler interaction is mainly a physical action since no obvious new adsorption peaks appeared in the FTIR spectrum. The micro-morphological characteristics of asphalt mastic mainly depended on the adsorption effect of mineral fillers on polar fractions and the dispersion effect of mineral fillers on wax crystals in the asphalt binder. Based on the results of the GRA, the acidity and content of mineral fillers exhibited a great influence on the micro-morphological and macro-rheological characteristics of asphalt mastics, and the specific surface area of the mineral filler exerted a significant influence on the asphalt–filler interaction ability. Furthermore, the K-B- index was more appropriate for evaluating the asphalt–filler interaction ability.

Thermal, electrical, and mechanical properties of addition‐type liquid silicone rubber co‐filled with Al2O3 particles and BN sheets

AbstractThe addition‐type liquid silicone rubber (ALSR) co‐filled with spheroidal Al2O3 and flaky BN was prepared by the mechanical blending and hot press methods to enhance the thermal, electrical, and mechanical properties for industrial applications. Morphologies of ALSR composites were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that the interaction and dispersion state of fillers in the ALSR matrix were improved by the introduction of BN sheets. Thermal, electrical, and mechanical performances of the ALSR composites were also investigated in this work. The result indicated that the thermal conductivity of ALSR can reach 0.64 W m−1 K−1 at the loading of 20 wt% Al2O3/20 wt% BN, which is 3.76 times higher than that of pure ALSR. The addition of Al2O3 particles and BN sheets also improve the thermal stability of ALSR composites. Moreover, pure ALSR and ALSR composites showed relatively lower dielectric permittivity (1.9–3.1) and dielectric loss factor (&lt;0.001) at the frequency of 103 Hz. The insulation properties including volume resistivity and breakdown strength were improved by the introduction of flaky BN in the ALSR matrix. The volume resistivity and characteristic breakdown strength E0 are 6.68 × 1015 Ω m and 93 kV/mm, respectively, at the loading of 20 wt% Al2O3/20 wt% BN. In addition, the mechanical characteristics including elongation at break and tensile strength of ALSR composites were also enhanced by co‐filled fillers. The combination of these improved performances makes the co‐filled ALSR composites attractive in the field of electrical and electronic applications.

Mechanism of size effects of a filler on the wear behavior of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene

Abstract Although the size effects of a filler are closely related to the complex multi-level structures of their polymer composites; unfortunately, such relationships remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of various sizes (40–600 nm) of silicon carbide (SiC) fillers on the wear behavior of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) in the presence of the silane coupling agent KH-560. All of these SiC fillers improved the wear resistance of UHMWPE significantly, with a medium size (150 nm) being optimal. To examine the reasons for this behavior, we analyzed the multi-level structures of the samples in terms of their matrix structures (crystalline; amorphous; interphase), matrix–filler interactions (physical adsorption; chemical crosslinking; hybrid network) and the external effects of SiC fillers (bearing loads; transferring frictional heat). The high rigidity and thermal conductivity of SiC fillers and, more importantly, the intrinsic characteristics of the matrix structures (larger crystal grains; higher interphase; stronger amorphous entangled networks) were the key parameters affecting the enhancement in the wear-resistance of the UHMWPE. Herein, we also provide interpretations of the corresponding physical effects. Our results should improve our understanding of the structure–property relationships and, thus, should guide the formula design of UHMWPE composites.

Maleated Natural Rubber/Halloysite Nanotubes Composites

In this study, maleic anhydride (MA) grafted natural rubber (NR), known as maleated natural rubber (MNR), was melt-prepared with the MA content varied within 1–8 phr. MNR was used as the main matrix, with Halloysite Nanotubes (HNT) as a filler, in order to obtain composites with improved performance. The compounds were investigated for their filler–filler interactions by considering their Payne effect. On increasing the MA content, scorch and cure times increased along with maximum torque and torque difference. The MNR with 4 phr of MA exhibited the least filler–filler interactions, as indicated by the retention of the storage modulus after applying a large strain to the filled compound. This MNR compound also provided the highest tensile strength among the cases tested. It is interesting to highlight that MNR, with an appropriate MA content, reduces filler–filler interactions, and, thereby, enhances the HNT filler dispersion, as verified by SEM images, leading to improved mechanical and dynamical properties.