This article is concerned with the preparation of a filled elastomer by means the nonconventional bottom-up approach to polymer composites, alternatively with the conventional mechanical compounding of preformed filler particles with rubber. EPDM rubber was modified with in situ generated silica particles prepared by means of a sol-gel process adopting a solution process. The used synthetic procedure permitted the preparation of highly filled rubbers (up to 40 wt % of silica) with silica particle dimensions ranging from 0.2 to 2 μm. Equilibrium swelling and extraction tests indicated a hindering effect of the presence of in situ generated silica on the vulcanization process which reduced the cross linking degree of the rubber matrix. Both tensile tests and dynamic-mechanical analysis showed a significant improvement in the mechanical properties due to the presence of the reinforcing filler, with an enhancement more significant than that expected from a simple hydrodynamic reinforcing mechanism. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Preparation and characterization of EPDM rubber modified with in situ generated silica / Morselli D.; Bondioli F.; Luyt A.S.; Mokhothu T.H.; Messori M.. - In: JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE. - ISSN 0021-8995. - ELETTRONICO. - 128:4(2013), pp. 2525-2532. [10.1002/app.38566]
Preparation and characterization of EPDM rubber modified with in situ generated silica
Morselli D.;Bondioli F.;Messori M.
2013
Abstract
This article is concerned with the preparation of a filled elastomer by means the nonconventional bottom-up approach to polymer composites, alternatively with the conventional mechanical compounding of preformed filler particles with rubber. EPDM rubber was modified with in situ generated silica particles prepared by means of a sol-gel process adopting a solution process. The used synthetic procedure permitted the preparation of highly filled rubbers (up to 40 wt % of silica) with silica particle dimensions ranging from 0.2 to 2 μm. Equilibrium swelling and extraction tests indicated a hindering effect of the presence of in situ generated silica on the vulcanization process which reduced the cross linking degree of the rubber matrix. Both tensile tests and dynamic-mechanical analysis showed a significant improvement in the mechanical properties due to the presence of the reinforcing filler, with an enhancement more significant than that expected from a simple hydrodynamic reinforcing mechanism. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.