The effect of oil palm ash loading on curing characteristics and tensile properties of natural rubber vulcanizates

摘要

This paper studied the possibility of utilizing oil palm ash as filler to reinforce the natural rubber vulcanizates. Different loading of oil palm ash filled natural rubber vulcanizates were prepared using laboratory sized two roll mill, followed by measurement of cure characteristics and tensile testing. Increasing of oil palm ash loading will accelerate the scorch time and cure time. The maximum torque and tensile modulus (M_(100) and M_(300)) also increased with the increment of oil palm ash loading. It was found that, the optimum loading (1 phr) of oil palm ash was improved the tensile strength and elongation at break by 16 % and 7.4 %, respectively. Morphological studies of tensile fracture surface of oil palm ash filled natural rubber vulcanizates supported the result obtained from tensile properties.