PARTIAL REPLACEMENT OF CARBON BLACK (CB) WITH CARBON NANOTUBES IN NITRILE (NBR) RUBBER/CB NANOCOMPOSITES

摘要

Due to potential use of carbon nanotubes as reinforcing fillers, carbon black (CB, 50phr) in nitrile rubber (NBR) nanocomposites was partially replaced by multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). NBR/CB/CNTs nanocomposites with varying ratio of CB/CNTs (50/0 phr to 40/10 phr) were formulated via melt-mixing method using an internal mixer. The reinforcing effect of single filler (CB) and mixture of fillers (CB and CNTs) on the properties of NBR nanocomposites was investigated. The cure kinetics and bound rubber content were analyzed using rheometry and solvent swelling method. In addition, thermal mechanical behavior and static tensile properties at both room temperature and 350°F/ 121°C were examined. The scorch time and curing time values showed that there was no significant effect on the curing behavior of NBR nanocomposites after the partial replacement of CB with CNTs. It was observed that bound rubber content was maximum in case of NBR/CB/CNTs nanocomposites having 1 phr CNTs content and 49 phr CB content with no further increase at higher CNT loading.