Einfluss der Alterung auf dynamische und mechanische Eigenschaften von NR/Cel II Nanocomposite
Naturkautschuk Cel II Nanocomposite Alterung
Der Einfluss der Hitzealterung auf
Nanocomposite, die durch Co-Koagulation von Naturkautschuk-Latex und Cellulosexantat hergestellt
wurden, ist untersucht worden. Zum
Vergleich der Eigenschaften wurden
rugefullte Vulkanisate herangezogen. Die Verbundwerkstoffe wurden hinsichtlich ihrer Vernetzungsdichte und der mechanischen Eigenschaften vor und nach der Alterung untersucht.
446
Nanocomposites are a new class of composite, constituted of particle-filled polymers for which the dispersed particles
have at least one dimension in the nanometer range. One can distinguish three types of nanocomposites, depending on
how many dimensions of the dispersed
particles are in the nanometer range [1].
When the three dimensions are in the order of nanometers, we are dealing with
isodimensional nanoparticles, such as
spherical silica nanoparticles obtained by
in situ sol-gel methods, but also can include semiconductor nanoclusters and
others. When two dimensions are in the
nanometer scale and the third one is larger,
forming an elongated structure, we consider nanotubes or whiskers as, for example,
carbon nanotubes or Cel whiskers which
have been extensively studied as reinforcing nanofillers yielding materials with exceptional properties. The third type of nanocomposites is characterized by only one
dimension in the nanometer range. In this
case the filler is present in the form of
sheets of one to a few nanometer thick
to hundreds to thousands nanometers
long.
Because of the small size of the structural
unit (particle, grain or phase) and the high
surface-to-volume ratio, nanostructured
materials exhibit unique behavior compared to conventional materials with micron-scale structures [2].
In the area of polymers (especially elastomers) one is always searching for improved
mechanical properties to fit certain specific
applications. Reinforcement of elastomers
is normally achieved by adding nano-scaled fillers, such as carbon black and silica
[3]. However, it is difficult to control the
morphological structure of the resulting
material, particularly the degree of filler dispersion. In situ generation of inorganic filler, typically silica, through the sol-gel process provides an interesting method to
overcome these problems [4].
In the special case of the use of Cel as reinforcing agent, the efficiency is related to
the nature of Cel itself and in particular to
Experimental
Natural rubber and Cel II nanocomposites
were prepared by co-coagulation, as described elsewhere [9]. Mixing was carried
447
15 phr. It is interesting to note that the presence of Cel II in amounts up to 15 phr reinforces NR, without changing the elongation at break (Fig. 2).
Concerning hardness (Fig. 3), the increasing incorporation of Cel II into NR causes
a continuous increase in this property.
As a practical criterion for the stiffness of
rubber vulcanizates the modulus at
300 % (r300 ) was investigated. The results
of r300 obtained for NR/Cel II composites
before ageing (Fig. 4) correlate well with
hardness data.
In comparison to the mechanical properties demonstrated before ageing, the tensile strength (Fig. 1) and strain at rupture
(Fig. 2) of the unfilled NR decrease, while
the NR/Cel II composites exhibit an increase in tensile strength and a decrease
in elongation at failure. It is interesting
to emphasize that the composite containing 15 phr of Cel II was the one to present
the best ageing resistance. The drop in
elongation at break after ageing is caused
mainly by the weakening of the matrix as a
result of the main chain scission. The crosslink maturation reactions, which result in
the conversion of polysulphidic linkages
into di- and monosulphidic ones, also
might be contributing towards the decrease in strain at break [11].
Hardness data after ageing are in accord
with the tensile strength results after
ageing, up to a filler content of 15 phr.
448
449
Tensile Strength
(MPa)
Elongation at break
(%)
Hardness
(Shore A)
Modulus at 300 %
(MPa)
Before ageing
21.5
20.1
20.4
23.0
18.0
18.9
21.1
20.7
16.4
11.1
0
10
20
30
35
700
550
500
500
450
550
550
500
425
300
0
10
20
30
35
42
43
47
52
52
42
41
46
50
56
0
10
20
30
35
2.58
4.17
6.83
8.63
8.30
2.19
3.89
4.84
7.75
11.1
0
10
20
30
35
2.58
3.51
3.85
4.01
3.72
11.30
3.47
3.64
4.47
4.37
450
After ageing
vulcanizates, before and after ageing. Before ageing, this filler participates on crosslinking and reinforces the composites,
indicating a good rubber-filler interaction.
The best performance was achieved by the
composite with filler content of 15 phr.
After ageing, NR/Cel II composites showed
better properties and, again, the composite with 15 phr of Cel II was the best
one. From these observations, it can be
said that either the ageing conditions
used in this work were not severe
enough and/or somehow Cel II protects
natural rubber from an acCelerated degradation.
Acknowledgements
References
Conclusions
Cel II has large influence on mechanical
and dynamic properties of natural rubber
451