Reinforcement Of Rubber Research Articles

Investigating the influence of rubber reinforcement on mechanical and vibration properties in glass and jute epoxy hybrid composite

Investigating the influence of rubber reinforcement on mechanical and vibration properties in glass and jute epoxy hybrid composite

Bending Performance of Reinforced Concrete Beams with Rubber as Form of Fiber from Waste Tires

An investigation was conducted to assess the efficacy of using waste rubber as a substitute for a portion of an aggregate to enhance concrete’s sustainability. For the purpose of accomplishing this objective, a total of 12 specimens were constructed and then subjected to a series of tests to investigate their bending behavior. The samples were constructed with the following dimensions: 1000 mm length and a 100 mm by 150 mm cross-sectional area. A few factors were selected, including the impacts of the longitudinal reinforcement ratio and the waste rubber ratio. Based on the volume of aggregates, rubber replacement rates of 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% were investigated in this study. To assess the beam bending behavior, the stirrup width and spacing were kept constant at ∅6/10. The longitudinal reinforcement was composed of three diameters: ∅6 at the top (for all beams) and ∅8, ∅10, and ∅12 at the bottom. The experimental results demonstrated that the effects of varying amounts of waste rubber and tension reinforcement on the bending and cracking of reinforced concrete beams (RCBs) were varied. The findings indicate that the incorporation of waste rubber into concrete results in a reduction in both the load-carrying capacity and the level of deformation of the material. Additionally, it was shown that as the amount of waste rubber in the RCB increased, the energy absorption capacity and ultimate load decreased. There was a reduction in energy dissipation of 53.71%, 51.69%, and 40.55% for ∅8 when longitudinal reinforcement was applied at 5%, 10%, and 15% replacement, respectively. Additionally, there were reductions of 25.35%, 9.31%, and 58.15% for ∅10, and 38.69%, 57.79%, and 62.44% for ∅12, respectively.

Revealing the nanoscale reinforcing mechanism: How topological structure of carbon black clusters influence the mechanics of rubber

The mechanical reinforcement of rubber by carbon black (CB) depends strongly on its the size and topography of CB clusters. However, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored. This study uses atomic force microscopy (AFM) to probe interfacial properties at the nanoscale to elucidate the influence of the CB topological structure on macroscopic mechanical properties. A substantial amount of high-modulus bound rubber is found inside the CB aggregates, particularly in highly branched ones. This phenomenon plays a critical role in reinforcement, as corroborated by quantitative AFM nanomechanics, chain segment motion results and theoretical calculations. A quantitative analysis of the filler network reveals that the branched chain structure effectively reduces the packing spacing and improves the stress transfer efficiency.

Learning based model for predicting mechanical properties and sustainable filler band for NBR composites using lignin and carbon black

Experimental determination of mechanical properties of rubber composites, such as tensile strength and hardness, involves complex multistage preparation procedures that are laborious and expensive. In this study, a hybrid filler of carbon black (CB) along with a sustainable filler of lignin is added for reinforcement in the nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) matrix, with the total filler content varying from 10 parts per hundred rubber (phr) to 80 phr. This work aims to develop a data-driven predictive model for the mechanical properties of rubber composites. An artificial neural network (ANN) model using multilayer feed-forward back-propagation has been created to forecast the tensile strength (Ts) and hardness (Hd) of rubber composites. The model predicts the uniaxial tensile response and hardness using input parameters that include total filler and lignin loading levels. The effectiveness of the suggested prediction method was demonstrated by statistical analysis using confidence intervals, showing a prediction error between 5.47% and 3.23% for the Ts and between 3.03% and 1.85% for Hd at 95% confidence intervals. A sustainable green band could be defined in the developed model, which is handy for designers to replace CB with lignin in various NBR based products, such as hoses, seals, etc., without compromising on tensile strength and hardness.

Development of a sustainable polymer composite: enhancing properties of waste plastic with ground tire rubber reinforcement

The growing interest in utilizing waste for composite development has prompted investigations across social, economic, and environmental domains. This study focuses on utilizing recyclable waste plastic materials and micro-sized ground tire rubber (GTR) of varying sizes (600 μm, 300 μm, and 150 μm) to create a polymer matrix composite (PMC). Employing a thermal blending technique, the manufacturing process adjusts the composition ratios of polymer and GTR from 90:10 to 50:50. Subsequently, Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) is utilized to analyze the PMC composition, while Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirms functional group and chemical structure. The study demonstrates significant improvements in various properties upon adding GTR to High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) composite materials. For HDPE-GTR composites, the melting temperature (Tm) ranged from 120.29 °C to 138.53 °C, crystallization temperature (Tc) from 102.84 °C to 127.14 °C, and enthalpy of melting (ΔHm) from 70.96 to 139.67 J g−1. Crystallinity (Xc) varied from 48.43% to 52.96%. In LDPE-GTR composites, Tm ranged from 106.08 °C to 129.57 °C, Tc from 90.27 °C to 112.20 °C, ΔHm from 75.59 to 142.53 J g−1, and Xc from 51.59% to 54.05%. Moreover, mechanical properties such as tensile strength, flexural modulus, and impact strength exhibited enhancements with GTR addition to the polymer matrix. These findings underscore the potential of sustainable waste utilization, advancing environmentally friendly and resource-efficient composite materials.

Preliminary Investigations and Support for the Mechanical and Dynamic Characteristics of a Natural Rubber Reinforcement in E-Glass/CNT/Epoxy Composite

The present investigation reports the synthesis and mechanical properties of a hybrid polymer composite consisting of E-Glass fiber, epoxy and 2 wt.% carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with a varying percentage of natural rubber (NR). The prepared hybrid polymer composites were examined in terms of their surface morphology, thermal properties as well as mechanical properties. The findings from the present study indicate that natural rubber enhances the mechanical properties of the hybrid polymer composites and, in particular, 10 wt.% is the optimum percentage of NR that yields the highest strength of 88 MPa, while the strength is 52 MPa with 5 wt.% NR. In order to evaluate the damping properties, a dynamic mechanical analysis was carried out on the E-Glass/CNT with NR composites at various frequencies along with a thermogravimetric analysis. It was found that the composite reinforced with 10 wt.% natural rubber exhibited a higher glass transition temperature of 376.86 °C and storage modulus of 2468 MPa when compared to the other composites, which indicates the enhanced cross-linking density and higher polymer modulus of the composite. X-ray diffraction analysis was also conducted and the results are reported to improve the general understanding of crystalline phases.

Physico-Mechanical Characterization of Recycled Waste Tire Rubber and Rice Straw Reinforced Composite

Physico-Mechanical Characterization of Recycled Waste Tire Rubber and Rice Straw Reinforced Composite

Techno-economic and carbon dioxide emission assessment of carbon black production

The over 15 million metric tonnes of carbon black produced annually emit carbon dioxide in the range of 29–79 million metric tonnes each year. With the renaissance of carbon black in many new renewable energy applications as well as the growing transportation sector, where carbon black is used as a rubber reinforcement agent in car tires, the carbon black market is expected to grow by 66% over the next 9 years. As such, it is important to better understand energy intensity and carbon dioxide emissions of carbon black production. In this work, the furnace black process is studied in detail using process models to provide insights into mass and energy balances, economics, and potential pathways for lowering the environmental impact of carbon black production. Current state-of-the-art carbon black facilities typically flare the tail gas of the carbon black reactor. While low in heating value, this tail gas contains considerable amounts of energy and flaring this tail gas leads to low overall efficiency (39.6%). The efficiency of the furnace black process can be improved if the tail gas is used to produce electricity. However, the high capital investment cost and increased operating costs make it difficult to operate electricity generation from the tail gas economically. Steam co-generation (together with electricity generation) on the other hand is shown to substantially improve energy efficiency as well as economics, provided that steam users are nearby. Steam co-generation can be achieved via back-pressure steam turbines so that the low-pressure exhaust steam (∼2 bar/120 °C) can be used locally for heating or drying purposes. Furthermore, the potential of utilizing hydrogen to reduce carbon dioxide emissions is investigated. Using hydrogen as fuel for the carbon black reactor instead of natural gas is shown to reduce the carbon dioxide footprint by 19%. However, current prices of hydrogen lead to a steep increase in the levelized cost of carbon black (47%).

Effect of glass fiber and nylon fiber reinforcement on the mechanical and thermal properties of styrene butadiene rubber mixed PMMA denture base material

ObjectivesThe present investigation is aimed at evaluating the effect of styrene butadiene rubber, glass fibre, nylon fibre and hybrid reinforcement of glass and nylon fibre with 0.5 and 1.0 wt% on the impact, flexural, and compressive properties. MethodsA total of 19 groups were formed, including one control group and 18 study groups. All specimens were fabricated according to the standards and tests were performed. The enhancement of strengths were characterised by using scanning electron micrographs, FTIR results, XRD, and DMA tests. The degradability was studied using TGA/DTA analysis. The results were analysed using one-way ANOVA and Dunnett’s post hoc multiple comparison test at p ≤ 0.05. ResultsThe maximum impact, flexural, and compressive strength were found to be 3.234 ± 0.202 kJ/m2, 70.07 ± 0.7 MPa, and 84.929 ± 0.85 MPa for hybrid reinforcement of 0.5 wt% nylon fiber and 0.5 wt% glass fiber with 1.0 wt% of styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) mixed PMMA denture base material. Statistical analysis shows that the maximum mean impact strength, flexural strength, and compressive strength are about 84%, 58%, and 67% higher than the pure PMMA (control group). The maximum flexural modulus and compressive modulus are 914.4 MPa and 407.847 MPa for denture base material made of 1.0 wt% SBR, 1.0 wt% nylon fiber, 0.5 wt% glass fiber, and 0.5 wt% SBR, 0.5 wt% nylon fiber, respectively. The storage moduli of 1.0 wt% SBR, 1.0 wt% nylon fiber, and 0.5 wt% glass fiber-reinforced denture base material and pure PMMA are 0.096 and 0.422 at 79 °C, respectively, which indicates significant crosslinking of fiber and PMMA. The failure surfaces are characterized by a homogeneous distribution of fiber with increased surface roughness and fiber pullout, strong bonding, and well-dispersed SBR.

Investigation of vibration, flexural, tribological and flame retardant properties on rubber crumb-reinforced polymer composites

This research aims to fabricate polymer matrix composites with improved mechanical, flame retardant, and damping properties by incorporating waste rubber crumbs as the reinforcement. The damping characteristics of the polymer matrix composites reinforced with different weight percentages of rubber crumb such as 0, 2.5%, 5%, and 7.5% were analyzed using a free vibration test. The experimental results confirmed that the addition of rubber crumb significantly improved the damping characteristics of the material. In addition, the rubber crumb-reinforced composites showed improved mechanical and fire-retardant properties. The flexural strength improved exceptionally with the increase in rubber reinforcements up to 7.5%, whereas the tensile strength increased up to 2.5% weight and reduced with the further increase in rubber. Enhanced flame-retardant properties were witnessed in the polymer composites reinforced with rubber crumb than that of the plain Epoxy - Glass fibre composites. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were also used to ascertain the thermal properties. The scanning electron microscope was employed to analyze the surface and fractography of the polymeric composites. The overall results showed the contemporary effect of rubber crumbs on polymer composites.

Interfacial coupling efficiency of functionalised rubbers on silica surfaces

Understanding filler-polymer interactions at the interfaces is an important aspect for rubber reinforcement development. Recent technology in the field of silica-rubber reinforcement has led to an increasing interest in functionalised rubbers, since they can directly react and enhance interactions with silica filler, and hence improved rubber reinforcement. The present work aims to better understand the role of different reaction variables, i.e. time, temperature, rubber concentration, solvent, surfactants, sonication, specific surface area of silica, rubber type, and catalyst, on rubber deposition on silica surface in a model reaction in solution of silica and functionalised rubbers. Results from the Design of Experiments (DoEs) study, i.e. One-Factor-At-a-Time (OFAT), Plackett-Burman (P-B) and Full-Factorial (FF) designs showed that all studied factors have a negligible effect on interfacial coupling efficiency of rubber to silica surface. Accessibility of the functional groups at the rubber molecules and the steric hindrance due to large polymeric molecular chains seem to be the most limiting factors, resulting in low coupling efficiency. Effects of the investigated reaction parameters and plausible mechanisms involved in rubber-silica coupling reactions are elucidated.

Influence of Volumetric Modification on the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Rubber Reinforced Cuffs

Influence of Volumetric Modification on the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Rubber Reinforced Cuffs

Upcycling waste synthetic running tracks in reinforcement of styrene-butadiene rubber

Synthetic running track waste is a challenging problem for its large volume, non-degradability, and environment pollution. However, the recycling of waste synthetic running track is rarely noticed. In this work, an upcycling method is proposed to use the comminuted powder of waste synthetic running tracks (WSTP) as modifier for styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), which has proven to be efficient and profitable. Up to 90 phr of WSTP were blended with SBR. Unexpectedly, the tensile strength of SBR was increased from 0.78 MPa to 1.35 MPa at this time, which is 1.7 times. At the same time, the elongation at break was increased from 167% to 1270%, an increase of 7.6 times. Possible mechanisms were discussed in detail. Economic assessments indicated that ∼1375.6 USD could be saved when using 1 ton of WSTP in SBR, and the total saving is approximately 10 billion USD, taking in to account that about 4.91 × 108 m2, or 7.35 million tons of waste tracks will be recycled over the next 5 years. The recycling of waste synthetic running track is efficient, profitable and meaningful.

Preparation and Characterization of Polydopamine-Modified Halloysite Nanotubes and Their Effect on a Natural Rubber, Chloroprene Rubber and Chloro-Isobutylene-Isoprene Rubber Blend

The superior physical and mechanical performances of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) make them ideal fillers for rubber reinforcement. However, due to the abundant hydroxyl groups on their surface, they are highly polar and have poor compatibility with polymers, making it difficult for them to disperse uniformly in polymers, thus limiting their application in rubber composites to a certain extent. In this paper, noncovalently modified HNTs filled with a natural rubber/chloroprene rubber/chloro-isobutylene-isoprene rubber (NR/CR/CIIR) blend system, using polydopamine(PDA) as a surface modifier, was investigated. and a green and high-performance PDA/HNTs/NR/CR/CIIR composite was prepared by mechanical blending. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the original HNTs had a hollow, multi-walled nanotube structure, and the outer surface of the PDA-modified halloysite nanotubes(PDA/HNTs)showed an obvious cladding layer. X-ray diffraction indicated that the modification experiments did not damage the halloysite crystal structure; the modifier only interacted on the outer surface of the HNTs. Zeta potential and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) further indicated the presence of interfacial interactions between PDA and HNTs, suggesting that PDA was successfully grafted to the surface of HNTs. In addition, the effects of PDA/HNTs on the mechanical properties, vulcanization properties and Rubber Process Analyzer (RPA analysis) of the NR/CR/CIIR blend were also investigated. The dispersion of HNTs in the NR/CR/CIIR blend was enhanced by the adsorption of PDA on the HNTs surface by non-covalent bonds, and the comprehensive properties of the composites were improved.

Hydrophobized MFC as Reinforcing Additive in Industrial Silica/SBR Tire Tread Compound.

Silica is used as reinforcing filler in the tire industry. Owing to the intensive process of silica production and its high density, substitution with lightweight bio-based micro fibrillated cellulose (MFC) is expected to provide lightweight, sustainable, and highly reinforced tire composite. MFC was modified with oleoyl chloride, and the degree of substitution (DS) was maintained between 0.2 and 0.9. Subsequently, the morphology and crystallinity of the modified MFC were studied and found to be significantly dependent on the DS. The advantages associated with the use of the modified MFC in synergy with silica for the reinforcement of styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) nanocomposite was investigated in comparison with silica/SBR compound. The structural changes occasioned by the DS values influenced the processability, curing kinetics, modulus-rolling resistance tradeoff, and tensile properties of the resultant rubber compounds. We found that the compound made with modified MFC at a DS of 0.67 (MFC16) resulted to the highest reinforcement, with a 350% increase in storage modulus, 180% increase in Young`s modulus, and 15% increase in tensile strength compared to the referenced silica-filled compounds. Our studies show that MFC in combination with silica can be used to reinforce SBR compound for tire tread applications.

A novel route for styrene–butadiene rubber reinforcement based on the interface effect of sludge modification

A novel route for styrene–butadiene rubber reinforcement based on the interface effect of sludge modification

Influence of Pyrolytic Carbon Black Derived from Waste Tires at Varied Temperatures within an Industrial Continuous Rotating Moving Bed System.

Nowadays, waste tires have emerged as one of the most significant sources of environmental pollution. To address this issue, pyrolysis has become a widely adopted method. The continuous rotary kiln reactor has particularly gained popularity in industrial production for pyrolysis due to its suitability. In order to guide the development of new industrial continuous rotary kiln reactors and achieve high-performance pyrolytic carbon black (CBp), this study was conducted to investigate the relationship between the physical and chemical characteristics of CBp and pyrolysis temperature. The elevated-temperature procedure led to a reduction in DBP values from 90 to 70 mL/100 mg, accompanied by a rise in the specific surface area from 63 to 77 m2/g. The augmentation of pyrolysis temperature was noted to induce the agglomeration of CBp particles, thereby negatively impacting their dispersion within polymer matrices. CBp particles at 550 °C exhibited greater structural order, as determined by Raman spectroscopy, which can be attributed to the elevated temperature proximate to the cylinder wall surface. Furthermore, the potential of CBp for reinforcement in natural rubber (NR) was taken into consideration. The pronounced propensity of high-temperature CBps to agglomerate led to uneven dispersion within the polymer, consequently causing heightened heat accumulation and the emergence of the Payne effect. Based on a thorough analysis of the outcomes, the optimal pyrolysis temperature for CBp synthesis within the continuous reactor was ascertained.

Effects of various filler surfaces on tuning the hierarchical structures and reinforcement of silicone rubbers

The effects of various fillers on the hierarchical structures and reinforcement of silica filled silicone rubbers were investigated using contrast matching small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Raw (R), modified (M), and grafted (G) surface were designed on colloidal silica particles with sizes of 20 and 80 nm. The reinforcement effects of colloidal silica on silicone rubber were compared with those of industrial (fumed and precipitated) silica. The power-law decay df,agg of fumed and precipitated filler aggregate were 2.6 and 2.4, respectively, suggesting that the fractal aggregates determined the formation of a connective filler network. The bound rubber (BR) thickness measured via CM-SANS were 8.2, 7.9, and 7.9 nm for 20 nm colloidal silica with G, M, and R surfaces, respectively. NMR results indicated that grafting could promote BR formation, resulting in the highest modulus (3.4 MPa) among those of analyzed samples. All samples had similar Dres/2π values (close to 210 Hz) but different σ/Dres values, implying that the aggregate influenced the crosslinking distribution rather than the crosslinking density. Combined with the hierarchical structures and mechanical properties, the synergistic effects of the aggregate and BR networks on the reinforcing performance of silica-filled silicone rubbers have been discussed.

Effect of disaggregation and activation of sepiolite on interfacial interaction and mechanical properties of natural rubber/sepiolite composites prepared by latex compounding method

AbstractThe demand for environmentally friendly and non‐petroleum based natural rubber products is on the rise. Sepiolite, a one‐dimensional clay mineral, has been found to be a suitable reinforcement for natural rubber through latex compounding. However, the aggregation of fibers and minerals may impact the overall properties of natural rubber composites. To overcome this challenge, the study utilized ultrasonic disaggregation and oxalic acid activation to prepare stable sepiolite suspensions with varying specific surface areas and surface activities. These suspensions were then mixed with natural rubber latex to prepare NR/sepiolite composites. The results showed that the dispersibility and bonding ability of sepiolite with natural rubber were improved due to the increased specific surface area and surface activity, resulting in more bonding sites. The mechanical properties of the composites were also found to be improved, with a significant increase in tear strength (from 61.9 to 67.6 N·mm−1) and tensile strength (from 23.0 to 29.5 MPa). This research lays a strong foundation for the utilization of sepiolite in rubber materials.

Application of Vietnamese Nano Graphene as SBR Rubber Reinforcement for Abrasion Resistance Conveyors

Graphene has been extensively considered as an ideal additive to improve the mechanical properties of many composite materials, including rubbers, because of its novel strength, high surface area, and remarkable thermal and electron conductivity. Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR) is considered a good material for abrasion resistance conveyors in industries. However, the mechanical properties of SBR still need to be improved. This study shows the enhancement of Vietnamese nano graphene (GNPs) on mechanical properties of SBR rubber such as tensile strength, tear strength, abrasion resistance, and adhesion strength. The distribution of the Dioctyl Phthalate (DOP)-modified GNPs in the SBR matrix was investigated using scanning electron spectroscopy. Results show a significant increase in SBR/GNPs nanocomposite mechanical properties with the presence of GNPs (tensile strength, and tear strength increased by 29.67% and 31.89% respectively in comparison with SBR rubber without GNPs, and abrasion weight loss was decreased by 30.84% in comparison with SBR and adhesion strength with polyester fabric was 3 times higher than that of SBR). The evaluation of GNPs content in SBR/GNPs nanocomposite material was carried out. Results show that 0.5 phr of GNPs content in SBR/GNPs nanocomposite material was the optimal GNPs content with good mechanical properties, high abrasion resistance, and good adhesion with polyester fabric.