Experimental test and curve fitting of creep recovery characteristics of modified graphene oxide natural rubber and its relationship with temperature

The creep recovery properties of different graphene-doped rubber and the effect of temperature on them were studied. Doping graphene, especially with the surface functional group or surface microstructure, can significantly improve the creep resistance of natural rubber (NR). The permanent creep of each composite tested under the same conditions for 20 min. Graphene oxide, hydrazine hydrate reduced graphene oxide, and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTS) grafted graphene oxide was 33%, 16%, and 51% lower than those filled with carbon black respectively. Four parameter model and Weibull distribution function used to analyze and evaluate the creep and recovery test results of composite rubber. These curve fitting results can adequately describe the influence of different types of nanofillers on the creep and recovery properties of composite rubber. The long-term creep of composites forecasted by the time-temperature superposition principle (TTSP). The results show that graphene doping can improve the creep resistance of the rubber. Besides, graphene oxide and surface-modified graphene oxide had better creep resistance than reduced graphene oxide filled natural rubber. It can see that the interfacial properties between the graphene sheet and the natural rubber matrix play an essential role in the creep and recovery properties of graphene/natural rubber composites.     

Effect of sol–gel derived in situ silica on the morphology and mechanical behavior of natural rubber and acrylonitrile butadiene rubber blends

Silica particles were generated and grown in situ by sol–gel method into rubber blends comprised of natural rubber (NR) and acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) at various blend ratios. Silica formed into rubber matrix was amorphous in nature. Amount of in situ silica increased with increase in natural rubber proportion in the blends during the sol–gel process. Morphology studies showed that the generated in situ silica were nanoparticles of different shapes and sizes mostly grown into the NR phase of the blends. In situ silica filled NR/NBR blend composites showed improvement in the mechanical and dynamic mechanical behaviors in comparison to those of the unfilled and externally filled NR/NBR blend composites. For the NR/NBR blend at 40/60 composition, in particular, the improvement was appreciable where size and dispersion of the silica particles into the rubber matrix were found to be more uniform. Dynamic mechanical analysis revealed a strong rubber–in situ silica interaction as indicated by a positive shift of the glass transition temperature of both the rubber phases in the blends.     

Changes in the static and dynamic mechanical moduli of rubbers during ageing

Changes in the static and dynamic mechanical (complex) moduli for TMTD (filled and unfilled) and S/CBS-vulcanised (unfilled) natural rubber cylinders (height = diameter = 20 mm) were intermittently recorded as a function of time up to 1000 h at different temperatures. For the TMTD-vulcanisates, the moduli decreased with time of ageing and for the S/CBS-vulcanisate a maximum was obtained. The phase angle between stress and strain increased with increasing temperature and with time of ageing. The changes in moduli were attributed to scission and crosslinking reactions. The unfilled TMTD-vulcanisate showed no dependence on dynamic amplitude, whereas the S/CBS-vulcanisate showed a strong dependence on dynamic mechanical amplitude for ageing times longer than 300 h. Whhen log₁₀ (tan δ)_was plotted against 1/T, a straight line was obtained for temperatures between 75 and 150°C. An activation energy of 25 kJ/mole was obtained. This value is in agreement with the activation energy for the diffusion of oxygen in natural rubber.     

Bulk viscoelastic contribution to the wet‐sliding friction of rubber compounds

The wet‐sliding friction characteristics of rubber compounds made of high cis‐polybutadiene were examined with a British pendulum skid tester at room temperature. Three series of compounds were prepared—unfilled or filled with carbon black at two different levels. The bulk viscoelastic properties as characterized by the bulk glass‐transition temperature for the compounds were systematically adjusted by changing the crosslinking density via sulfur vulcanization. In fact, the dynamic mechanical glass‐transition temperature for the compounds ranges between approximately ?100 and 20 °C. Consequently, the wet‐sliding friction of these rubber compounds is dramatically affected. With increasing compound glass‐transition temperature, the wet‐sliding friction increases to a maximum and then decreases. However, the rate of increase or decrease varies with the amount of filler in the compounds. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 757–771, 2003     

Fracto-emission from filled and unfilled polybutadiene

We further examine the mechanisms involved in the emission of electrons and positive ions from polybutadiene accompanying fracture. Experimental evidence is given in support of a previously presented model involving a microdischarge accompanying fracture which excites the fracture surfaces by particle bombardment. Calculations of the time dependence for the emission from such excitations for both isothermal and thermal stimulation from a simple trap model are presented. We conclude that both filled and unfilled polybutadiene are experiencing the same excitations except at a considerably reduced intensity for the unfilled material.     

Gas transport properties of polypropylene/clay composite membranes

Polypropylene membranes modified with natural and organically modified montmorillonite clays were prepared. The permeability, diffusivity and solubility of helium, oxygen and nitrogen were determined for the unfilled and filled membranes over the temperature range 25-65 °C. Physical properties of polypropylene membranes were investigated using X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analyser, tensile testing and differential scanning calorimetry. The results showed that the filled membranes exhibit lower gas permeability compared to the unfilled polypropylene membrane. For helium, a reduced diffusivity is mainly responsible for the reduction in the permeability, in contrast, for nitrogen and oxygen, both diffusivity and solubility were reduced by the presence of fillers. The X-ray diffraction spectra showed that the incorporation of the unmodified and modified clay did not affect the crystallographic nature of polypropylene.     

The application of fracture mechanics to the impact behaviour of rubber-toughened polyamides

Rubber-modification of polyamide is a widely-applied method of improving material resistance under high strain rate loading. The processing conditions used for preparing such two-phase blends strongly influence their structure and thus their subsequent impact properties. In the present work the relationships between production parameters, phase structure and impact resistance have been studied, and the rǒle of the rubber phase in promoting energy absorption investigated. It has been found that improved impact resistance, defined as a combination of high resistance to crack initiation and to crack propagation, is achieved by decreasing the polyamide phase viscosity while increasing the extrusion and injection temperatures, the mixing shear rate and the rubber phase volume fraction; an EPR modifier offers superior performance to a polybutadiene modifier; the dominant mechanisms of energy-absorption are shearing and void formation, there being no clear evidence of crazing; the J-integral technique of plastic fracture mechanics can be applied to Charpy impact testing; TEM allied with image analysis techniques provides quantitative morphological information on polymer blends.     

Development of a new test method for measurement of tack and studies on tack between cap and base compounds

A new test method has been developed to measure the autohesive tack between cap and base compounds at higher temperatures of contact. This method is a modification of the 180° peel test by incorporating a separator or a perforated sheet at the interface. This gives reproducible results and simulates the coextrusion process at a relatively higher temperature of contact.

The effects of reinforcing filler, oil, contact temperature, contact area, contact time and peel rate on tack are reported here.     

Influence of gel content on the physical properties of unfilled and carbon black filled natural rubber vulcanizates

Recently, gel content has been considered as a standard property for evaluating commercial grade natural rubber (NR). In this study, NR containing various amounts of gel was prepared by accelerated storage hardening as a model to clarify the influence of gel content on the physical properties of both unfilled and carbon black filled vulcanizates. Furthermore, the NR samples were investigated to determine the effect of gel fraction on Mooney viscosity and the structure of the gel after mastication. The results revealed that Mooney viscosity was related to the percentage of gel fraction that has been proven to be the result of interactions between proteins and phospholipids at chain ends. After mastication, although the gel fraction of NR can be decomposed to ∼0% w/w, the interactions of proteins and phospholipids at the chain ends still existed, corresponding to the gel content of the raw rubber. In the case of unfilled vulcanizates, the gel content showed no effect on cure characteristics, crosslink density and ultimate tensile strength, whereas the upturn of stress occurred at a smaller strain when the gel content increased. However, in the case of carbon black filled vulcanizates, the gel content played a dominant role in the carbon black dispersion, which was poorer when gel content increased, contributing to a decrease of crosslink density and ultimate tensile strength.     

天然橡胶制备无毒有机乒乓球拍面粘合胶水的研究

以天然橡胶作为原材料,进行不同程度的机械塑炼,通过改变其平均分子量,对其构性关系进行研究。机械塑炼后的天然橡胶,平均分子量下降,塑性增加,在有机溶剂环己烷里的溶解度显著提高,最高溶解度接近29%。在相同固含量时,随着橡胶平均分子量的下降,溶液粘度增加。天然橡胶溶液的良好的粘合性能可以使胶板和胶片间形成有效的粘连,且其弹性会增加,从而制备一种具有弹性、无毒、环保的有机乒乓球拍面粘合胶水,粘接性能优于传统无机胶水。     

Effects of carbon filler on sorption and diffusion of gases through rubbery materials

Effects of carbon filler on the sorption and diffusion of carbon dioxide in natural rubber and in styrene-butadiene rubber have been studied. Sorption isotherms conform to Henry's law in unfilled rubber and to Langmuir's law in carbon black. The isotherms in filled rubber exhibit a combination of the two sorption modes. The Henry's law solubility parameter k_D increases with carbon filler content; the Langmuir saturation constant C′_A initially is constant with filler level, but then decreases abruptly when carbon particles begin to aggregate. The diffusion coefficient decreases with increasing filler content, presumably owing to geometric effects and to polymer chain immobilization in the interfacial regions.     

Reactive compatibilization of recycled low density polyethylene/butadiene rubber blends during dynamic vulcanization

For reactive compatibilization of the recycled LDPE with butadiene rubber (BR) an equal quantity of few couples of reactive polyethylene copolymer/reactive polybutadiene (1/1) were introduced into the corresponding phases before the dynamic vulcanization. The LDPE/BR thermoplastic dynamic vulcanizates (TDVs) produced using the poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid), PE-AA/polybutadiene terminated with isocyanate groups, PB-NCO compatibilizing couple with different ratio of functional groups have demonstrated the best mechanical properties and have been characterized by X-Ray analysis and DMTA measurements. For all of systems studied the increasing components compatibility due to the formation of the essential interface layer have been observed. The PB-NCO modifier participates in two processes: it is co-vulcanised with BR in rubber phase and reacts in the interface with the PE-AA dissolved in LDPE. The amorphous phase of LDPE is dissolved by rubber phase, i.e. the morphology with dual phase continuity is formed that provides an improvement of mechanical characteristics of material obtained. The best combination of mechanical characteristics was obtained for LDPE(PE-AA)/BR(PB-NCO), PB-NCO=7.5 wt.% per PB, COOH/NCO=1/1. The tensile strength and an elongation at break for these blends were 3.9 MPa and 353% and for the basic non-compatibilized blend 3.2 MPa and 217%, relatively.     

Structural evolution during uniaxial deformation of natural rubber reinforced with nano‐alumina

The mechanical properties of natural rubber (NR) were enhanced by the inclusion of nano‐alumina. In order to gain further insights into the reinforcement mechanism, synchrotron wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD) was used to monitor the evolution of the molecular structure during stretching in real time, and the tube model theory was applied to study the effect of nanoparticles on rubber network. For the filled rubber, the onset strain of crystallization shifted to much lower value compared with that of the unfilled, indicating the presence of special strain amplification effect, which can be revealed by the reduction of configurational entropy. In addition, the crystallinity increased and the lateral crystallite size decreased after the addition of the nanofiller. During deformation, the crystallites of the filled rubber showed lower orientational fluctuations differing from that of NR reinforced by carbon black. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A plasticizer-resistant strengthening composition based on polyester-urethane rubber with end epoxy-urethane groups

Studies on creating a plasticizer-resistant strengthening composition for fastening highly filled polymeric compositions based on polybutadiene rubber plasticized by transformer oil were carried out. The kinetic rheological regularities of curing the strengthening composition around polyester-urethane rubber with end epoxy-urethane groups were studied, and its physical and mechanical properties, glass transition temperature, the strength of fastening with highly filled polymeric composition and its swelling in transformer oil were determined.     

Filler-filler interaction and filler-polymer interaction in carbon black and silica filled ExxproTM polymer

Due to the presence of reactive benzylic bromide, Exxpro has much better interaction with silica in comparison with polybutadiene as demonstrated by the high bound rubber level. The better silica/Exxpro interaction is further substantiated by the low degree of filler network formation in comparison to that observed for silica filled polybutadiene as demonstrated by the much smaller deviation of low strain shear modulus from the Guth-Gold relationship for the silica filled Exxpro. Silane treatement of silica reduces filler network formation in polybutadiene but has only slight effect on silica filled Exxpro indicating that even without silane treatment silica already disperse well in Exxpro due to high degree of filler/polymer interaction. This result in silica filled Exxpro compound exhibiting better processability (lower shear viscosity) as well as dynamic performances for tire applications (higher tan δ at −20 and 0°C, lower tan δ at 60°C). We speculate that nucleophilic substitution reaction takes place between benzylic bromide and surface hydroxide group of silica.     

润滑油对轮胎主要成分催化裂解行为的影响

本文研究了润滑油对轮胎的重要组成原料:天然橡胶、聚丁二烯橡胶和丁苯橡胶催化裂解行为的影响.研究发现润滑油的加入明显增强了催化剂ZSM-5对聚丁二烯橡胶的催化裂解作用:液体收率从69.0％提高到83.4％,残渣收率从17.0％降至3.2％;润滑油的加入也提高了丁苯橡胶催化裂解的反应速率,液体产物中的轻油组分由67.5％增...     

高疲劳寿命氯丁橡胶基减振材料的结构与性能

以氯丁橡胶(CR)为基体材料, 将新型反式-1,4-丁二烯-异戊二烯共聚橡胶(TBIR)引入传统CR减振基体中, 探讨TBIR在减振材料中的应用前景. 研究发现, 随着TBIR用量的增加, CR/TBIR混炼胶的强度及模量明显提升; CR/TBIR硫化胶的拉伸强度、 撕裂强度、 压缩永久变形、 动静刚度比及耐疲劳性能均得到改善, 特别是一级疲劳寿命提高了50%~400%(未填充体系)及40%~180%(填充体系), 六级疲劳寿命提高了60%~500%(未填充体系)及30%~120%(填充体系). 与未填充CR/TBIR硫化胶相比, 填充CR/TBIR硫化胶由于炭黑补强作用及填料-聚合物相互作用的引入, 屈挠疲劳寿命、 撕裂强度及拉伸性能均显著提高. 与填充CR硫化胶相比, 填充CR/TBIR质量比为90/10的并用胶能够在保持硫化胶的损耗因子基本不变的基础上, 实现综合性能的平衡提升.     

包覆重钙粉为填充剂的橡胶加工及性能

重钙粉作为填充剂被广泛应用于橡胶加工过程,但由于其表面具有极性,分散性较差,导致与橡胶材料界面结合较差,影响了橡胶产品的抗拉强度、断裂伸长率等力学性能。 本文采用沉淀法,在CaCl₂-H₂O-NH₃-CO₂体系中生成碳酸钙直接结晶于重钙粉颗粒表面,实现对重钙粉的表面包覆,将n(CaCl₂)：n(重钙粉)=1：100、5：100、10：100的包覆重钙粉填充到天然橡胶和再生胶中,橡胶的力学性能与填充未包覆重钙粉的橡胶相比有了一定的提升。 通过比较,在填充量较大(8.5%、15%)时,包覆重钙粉橡胶产品在硬度、定伸应力等力学性能上要好于轻钙粉橡胶产品;在填充量(5%、8.5%)时,包覆重钙粉橡胶产品的抗拉强度、断裂伸长率接近于白炭黑,硬度高于白炭黑橡胶产品。     

Scanning electron microscopy methods for studying interfacial interaction in polymer blends

The scanning electron microscopy method in combination with the selective etching technique for polymer blends have been used to evaluate interfacial interaction in natural rubber and low density polyethylene blends. The morphology of the polymer blends, studied under externally applied strain, has been investigated to understand the role of interface adhesion between natural rubber and polyethylene phases, for two separate crosslinking systems, i.e. sulphur and peroxide.

Externally induced strain which facilitates phase separation in sulphur cured blends by initiating cracks at the interface; peroxide curing prevents separating out of the polyethylene phase from the natural rubber matrix. In the latter case, induced stress is distributed predominantly by developing fine flaw paths in the rubber matrix.

The method which has been developed for natural rubber and polyethylene blend systems may be used to evaluate the degree of interfacial adhesion between the dispersed phase and the dispersion medium for other kinds of polymer-polymer, polymer-filler as well as polymer-fibre composites.     

Characterization of sulphur-cured rubbers by high-resolution pyrolysis-gas chromatography with flame photometric detection

Polybutadiene rubber, natural rubber and acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber cured with sulphur and accelerators were characterized by high-resolution pyrolysis-gas chromatography with a sulphur-selective flame photometric detector. With the three polymer systems, various sulphur-containing products characteristic of the base polymers and vulcanization accelerators were observed. The vulcanization process for polybutadiene rubber is discussed on the basis of the relationships between the peak intensities of the characteristic products and cure time.