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Autoclaved aerated concrete waste (AACW): An alternative filler material for the natural rubber industry
Author(s) -
Arayapranee Wanvimon,
Rempel Garry L.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
polymer composites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1548-0569
pISSN - 0272-8397
DOI - 10.1002/pc.23113
Subject(s) - materials science , natural rubber , composite material , filler (materials) , porosity , calcium carbonate , scanning electron microscope
Material waste from the production of autoclaved aerated concrete, a porous material, should be considered as a valuable byproduct for use as a filler material for the rubber industry. Natural rubber (NR) composites filled with different loading (over the range of 0–60 phr) of autoclaved aerated concrete waste (AACW) as a new eco‐friendly material were produced using two roll mills and then were studied for their cure characteristics, mechanical and aging properties, and morphology, and also compared with commercial fillers, calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ), and silica (SiO 2 ). In most cases, the cure characteristics and mechanical and aging properties of the SiO 2 ‐filled NR composites were significantly better than those of the AACW‐ and CaCO 3 ‐filled NR composites. However, these properties for AACW‐filled composites appeared to be higher than CaCO 3 ‐filled composites. The reason for this could be due to a larger surface area which is both porous and of an irregular shape of the AACW filler used. Scanning electron microscope images showed that the morphology of the rubber filled with SiO 2 was finer and more homogenous compared with the rubber filled with AACW or CaCO 3 . Overall results revealed that the reinforcement ability of AACW‐filled NR composites was generally better when compared with CaCO 3 ‐filled NR composites; therefore, AACW can be used effectively as a cheaper filler for production of rubber products where end‐use properties of a rubber product is specifically required. POLYM. COMPOS., 36:2030–2041, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineer