Development of Rubber Nanocomposites for Engineering Application

Abstract:

Rubber finds wide range of application in automotive sector starting from tires to rubber bushes. Incorporation of nanoparticles like carbon nanotubes to rubber has improved the mechanical properties significantly. Still dispersion of carbon nanotube in raw rubber is a challenging process. In this work multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) are dispersed in the varying proportions (0.5, 1, 1.5 wt.%) in high viscous aromatic rubber processing oil using high shear planetary ball mill for a period of 2 hours. Then the rubber nanocomposites have been processed in double roll mill by adding the chemicals in the following order (Natural Rubber, Antioxidant: 1 phr, Oil: 5 phr, Zinc Oxide: 4 phr, Stearic Acid: 2 phr, Accelerator: 1 phr, Sulfur: 2 phr). It was found that, the incorporation of Multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) has improved the mechanical properties of natural rubber significantly. Din abrasion studies show improvement in wear resistance of natural rubber incorporated with multiwall carbon nanotube.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volume 852)
• Pages: 61-65
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.852.61
• Online since: September 2016
• Authors: Paulraj Jawahar*, Parthasarathy Kartheeswaran
• Keywords: Carbon Nanotube, Nanocomposites, Natural Rubber

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