Structure and Properties of Hydrogenated Nitrile Rubber/Organo-Montmorillonite Nanocomposites

The aim of the work was to study the effect of organo-montmorillonite (OMt) on the properties of hydrogenated nitrile rubber (HNBR)/OMt nanocomposites. The nanocomposites were prepared by a melt intercalation method. The structure of the composites was studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The behavior of stress-strain, aging resistance, solvent resistance, and the dynamic mechanical properties of HNBR/OMt nanocomposites were investigated. The TEM and XRD results showed that the OMt layers were dispersed homogeneously in the HNBR matrix. The HNBR/OMt nanocomposites showed excellent mechanical properties which were attributed to the nanometer scale dispersion and strong interaction between the HNBR and OMt. The composites possessed excellent aging resistance and oil resistance, which improved with OMt content. Dynamic mechanical analysis showed that the glass-transition temperature, Tg, of the HNBR/OMt nanocomposites was increased and the nanocomposites had a good rolling resistance in comparison to pure HNBR. The composites displayed better dynamic mechanical properties.