Carbon black, silica and clay are the most widely used fillers in the rubber industry; however, these materials possess some limitations. Carbon black, a reinforcing filler, is derived from petroleum, silica requires compatibilization chemistries to provide good reinforcement, and clay is simply a diluent filler. We have made and tested novel fillers made from wastes generated by the Ohio food processing industry and the agriculture sector, using both Hevea and guayule rubber. The effect of particle size (macro and micro) and waste-filler: carbon black ratio were investigated using a standard rubber compound in which 35 phr carbon black 300 was gradually replaced weight to weight by specific waste-derived fillers until no carbon black remained. Statistical comparison of the results indicates that, in general, high tensile properties combined with good flexibility, can be achieved by composites with smaller particle size. The tensile strength at break of the composites made partly with waste fillers was, in some cases, superior compared to the control (35 phr Carbon Black). Reduction of particle size increased ultimate elongation as well as modulus at 300% and tensile at break, while increasing waste filler proportion, beyond the loadings that improved performance, increased ultimate elongation but decreased modulus at 500% and tensile at break. A wide range of properties can be customized by modifying filler composition and rubber type. This opens the possibility to create novel materials and decrease cost of manufacture by utilizing other industrial byproducts.
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