• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.22-33
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• 2009

Recently, elastomer-nanocomposites reinforced with low volume fraction of nanofillers have attracted great interest due to their fascinating properties. The incorporation of nanofillers, such as, layered silicate clays, carbon nanotubes, nanofibers, calcium carbonate, metal oxides or silica nanoparticles into elastomers improves significantly their mechanical, thermal, dynamic mechanical, barrier properties, flame retardancy, etc. The properties of nanocomposites depend greatly on the chemistry of polymer matrices, nature of nanofillers, and the method in which they are prepared. The uniform dispersion of nanofillers in elastomer matrices is a general prerequisite for achieving desired mechanical and physical characteristics. In this paper, current developments in the field of elastomer nanocomposites reinforced with layered silicates, silica, carbon nanotubes, nanofibers and various other nanoparticles have been addressed.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.112-121
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• 2010

In this study, styrene butadiene rubber(SBR)/organoclay nanocomposites were manufactured using the latex method with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane(APTES) as a modifier. The X-ray diffraction(XRD), transmission electron microscopy(TEM) images, Fourier transform infrared(FTIR) spectroscopy, swelling ratio and mechanical properties were measured in order to study the interaction between filler and rubber according to the mixing temperature in the internal mixer. In the case of SBR/APTES-MMT compounds, the dispersion of the silicates within the rubber matrix was enhanced, and thereby, the mechanical properties were improved. The characteristic bands of Si-O-C in APTES disappeared after hydrolysis reaction in the MMT-suspension solution and the peak of hydroxyl group was increased. Therefore the formation of chemical bonds between the hydroxyl group generated from APTES on the silicate surface and the ethoxy group of bis(triethoxysilylpropyl) tetrasulfide(TESPT) was possible. Consequently, the 300% modulus of SBR/APTES-MMT compounds was further improved in the case of using TESPT as a coupling agent. However, the silanization reaction between APTES and TESPT was not affected significantly according to the increase of mixing temperature in the internal mixer.