Application of Epoxidized Natural Rubber in the Preparation of Natural Rubber/Carbon Black/Carbon Nanotubes Composites

Epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) was used as interfacial modifier to prepare natural rubber/carbon black/carbon nanotubes (NR-ENR/CB/CNTs) composites. The effects of ENR content on the physical and mechanical properties, dynamic mechanical properties and filler dispersion of NR-ENR/CB/CNTs composites were studied. The experimental results show that the addition of ENR can significantly improve the dispersion of filler CNTs and CB in the natural rubber matrix, enhance the interfacial compatibility, promote the combination of filler and natural rubber molecules, effectively improve the physical and mechanical properties, aging resistance properties and flexural crack resistance properties of NR-ENR/CB/CNTs composites, and improve the safety and vulcanization speed of the vulcanization process. When the ENR content reaches 6 phr, the tensile strength, tear strength and elongation at break of NR-ENR/CB/CNTs composites are increased significantly. With the increase of ENR content, Payne effect of NR-ENR/CB/CNTs composites is decreased, the processing performance and dynamic mechanical properties are improved. © 2020, Editorial Board of Polymer Materials Science & Engineering. All right reserved.