Enhancing mechanical property, thermal conductivity, and radiation stability of fluorine rubber through incorporation of hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets

Fluorine rubber (FKM) stands as a pivotal sealing material extensively employed in aerospace and nuclear industries. However, its efficacy will be seriously affected by ionizing radiation. Enhancing its radiation resistance becomes imperative to uphold the stability and safety of associated equipment. This study introduced hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) into the FKM as radioprotective fillers through mechanical blending. The interfacial interaction between matrix and h-BN, the mechanical performances, thermal properties, and radiation stability of composites were systematically examined. Noteworthy findings highlight the presence of robust interaction forces between h-BN and the matrix, leading to increased crosslink density and improved mechanical properties. The tensile strength of composite with 10 phr fillers (BN/FKM-10) increased by 30% compared to that of pure FKM. Simultaneously, the introduction of h-BN greatly enhanced thermal conductivity and radiation stability. The absorbed dose required to achieve a 50% reduction in elongation at break of BN/FKM-10 surpassed that of FKM by 1.69 times. These results underscore the potential of incorporating h-BN to simultaneously enhance the mechanical performance, thermal property, and radiation resistance of fluorine rubber.Highlights The chemical interaction force between h-BN and FKM was confirmed. FKM composites tensile strength was enhanced by h-BN as an additive crosslinker. The incorporation of h-BN improves FKM composites thermal conductivity. The radiation resistance of FKM composites has been improved with h-BN. The incorporation of hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets into fluorine rubber not only enhances the radiation resistance of composites, but also strengthens their tensile strength and thermal conductivity through the strong interaction force between B and F atoms. image