Improved mechanical and rheological behavior of nitrile rubber reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotubes and carbon black dual-filler system

• Published in: Materials today communications Vol. 26; p. 101884
• Main Authors: Pereira Negri, Ricardo Bruno, Monteiro Fonseca Thomé da Silva, Antonio Henrique, Furtado de Sousa, Ana Maria, da Silva, Ana Lúcia Nazareth, Brum Dutra da Rocha, Elisson
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2021
• Subjects: Carbon black; Dual-filler system; Multi-walled carbon nanotubes; Nitrile rubber; Dual-filler system; Carbon black; Nitrile rubber; Multi-walled carbon nanotubes
• ISSN: 2352-4928; 2352-4928
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mtcomm.2020.101884

•A dual-filler system with 40 phr carbon black and 10 phr of nanotubes presented noticeable improved results.•Highlights include mechanical performance besides higher stress relaxation showing optimizing effect of nanotube content.•Payne effect were more pronounced in compounds containing higher filler content.•Compounds containing MWCNTs and CB presented the highest tear strength resistance results, showing a synergistic effect. The use of carbon nanotubes at low content in the production of rubber nanocomposites has already been proven promising, leading to significant improvements in overall mechanical properties of these materials. The addition of dual-filler systems in rubber compounds can be advantageous, leading to synergistic improvements. In this work, the effect of dual-filler system containing carbon black and multi-walled carbon nanotubes on mechanical and rheological properties of nitrile rubber matrices was evaluated. Increasing nanotube content has been proven effective in optimizing mechanical performance of nitriles. Based on a 40 phr carbon black reference compound, the dual-filler system containing 10 phr of nanotubes and 40 phr of carbon black presented noticeable results in tear and tensile strenght, hardness, besides higher stress relaxation. Formation of agglomerates are highlighted herein as a point of caution.