Enhanced Properties of Rubber Blends with Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes and Carbon Black

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Abstract

Natural rubber (NR) and styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) were blended with Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and carbon black (CB) as reinforcing fillers by a two-roll mill. The vulcanized NR/SBR rubber with different loading percentages of 1, 3, 10 phr (parts per hundred rubber) MWNTs were also compared to NR/SBR reinforced with 40, 45, 50 phr CB. The filler content in the compositions of 75/25 (NR/SBR) showed the short cure time, enhanced scorch time and cure rate index (CRI). MWNTs and CB increased the tensile modulus and tear strength of rubber blend. Increased filler loading of MWNTs and CB gave higher modulus and strength. As a result, combined application of NR/SBR rubber blend has improved the technological, mechanical, viscoelastic behavior of the obtained elastomeric materials compared to the samples using a single rubber.