MAGNETORHEOLOGICAL ELASTOMER COMPOSITES BASED ON INDUSTRIAL WASTE NICKEL ZINC FERRITE AND NATURAL RUBBER

Magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) based on waste nickel zinc ferrite and natural rubber were prepared. The amount of waste nickel zinc ferrite was varied at five levels (20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 phr) to assess the optimum amount of waste nickel zinc ferrite content for highest dynamic mechanical and tensile performance. Curing characteristics of the MREs were determined by moving disk rheometer (MDR 2000), and thermal properties were evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Tan delta was measured through parallel and plate rheometer over a frequency range of 0.1-100 Hz and a strain amplitude range of 0.1-6%. Tensile properties were measured with a universal tensile tester. The results revealed that tan delta tensile properties, and thermal stability of the MREs increased with increase of waste nickel zinc ferrite contents. Anisotropic MREs, which had chain-like columnar structures of magnetic particles in the matrix as a consequence of an applied magnetic field during curing, were found to produce higher dynamic mechanical performance compared with isotropic MREs cured in the absence of a magnetic field.