Recycled Cigarette Filter as Reinforcing Filler for Natural Rubber

摘要

Natural rubber is highly resilient and possesses many outstanding characteristics but inferior in aspects like modulus and hardness. This however can be improved by reinforcement, forming a composite. The rubber compound in this study was prepared according to the ASTM D3184 standards and reinforced using cellulose acetate (CA) from recycled cigarette filter, partly as an effort to reduce the amount of waste. Moreover, cigarette filter is highly toxic due to the nicotine content thus requires care when is recycled. From the rheological and mechanical testing conducted i.e. scorch and cure time, torque, tensile test and tear strength, it seems to indicate a small amount of up 4 phr (parts per hundred rubber) of CA, is beneficial in improving the properties of the rubber compound.