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Reinforcing rubber with carbon nanotubes
Author(s) -
Nah Changwoon,
Lim Jee Young,
Cho Baik Hwan,
Hong Chang Kook,
Gent Alan N.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.32524
Subject(s) - natural rubber , materials science , composite material , carbon nanotube , carbon black , softening , elastomer , scanning electron microscope , reinforcement , adhesion , deformation (meteorology)
We suggest a new reinforcing mechanism for carbon nanotube (CNT)/rubber compounds, based on a comparison of CNT reinforcement of natural rubber (NR) with that by carbon black (CB). The mechanical properties of the NR/CNT compounds were significantly higher, but the amount of bound rubber, an indication of the level of filler‐rubber interaction, was lower than with CB. Moreover, the CNT‐filled compounds showed a greater degree of strain‐softening (Payne effect) and stress‐softening (Mullins effect) and higher permanent set than the CB‐filled compounds, indicating weaker bonding. In scanning electron microscope studies on cryogenically‐fractured surfaces, the CNT bundles were seen to protrude out of the surface when the sample was stretched and slid back in when the deformation was removed. We infer that interfacial interactions between CNT and NR are weak in comparison with the relatively strong adhesion between rubber and CB, as indicated by the high amount of bound rubber in that case. Thus, reinforcement by CNTs is attributed to their large aspect ratio and physical entanglement with rubber molecules, rather than to strong interfacial interaction. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010