Microwave properties of natural rubber based composites containing carbon black-magnetite hybrid fillers

The paper presents the synthesis and characterization of a carbon black-magnetite hybrid filler. The complex study on the structure of the filler has shown the magnetite phase to be distributed both over the surface (inter-aggregately) and inside (intra-aggregately) the carbon black particles, thus forming a true hybrid material. The results from the investigations on the mechanical and microwave properties of natural rubber-based composites filled with the new hybrid filler have been also reported. They have been compared to those of a composite comprising the physical mixture of carbon black and magnetite (at the same ratio as in the hybrid filler). The determined microwave characteristics of the composite comprising the hybrid filler obtained reveal the possibility for its use in manufacturing elastomer-based microwave absorbers.