P. Ganeshan, M. S. Ravi Theja† , P. Ramshankar*, and K. Raja**
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sri Eshwar College of Engineering, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu - 64102, India
*Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering Guindy, Anna University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu - 600025, India
**Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College of Engineering, Dindgul, Dindgul, Tamil Nadu - 624622, India
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Natural rubber/ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (NR/EPDM) rubber blends of composition 75/25 with 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 phr (parts per hundred rubber) halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) were prepared by two-roll mill. The effect of HNTs on the cure characteristics and mechanical properties of the NR/EPDM nanocomposites were studied. The effect of HNTs loading on the morphological, physical, swelling resistance and compression set of nanocomposites based on NR/EPDM was also investigated. Tensile strength tests revealed that the HNTs-reinforced NR/EPDM composite could resist 84% greater strength to break than the NR/EPDM blend without reinforcement. The introduction of HNTs into the NR/EPDM rubber matrix induced a rough morphology in the fracture surface, and a well-dispersed structure was obtained with the inclusion of up to 8 phr of HNTs, according to the morphological analyses.
Keywords: natural rubber/ethylene-propylene-diene monomer, halloysite nanotubes, mechanical properties, swelling resistance, morphology.
2023; 47(4): 404-416
Published online Jul 25, 2023
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sri Eshwar College of Engineering, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu - 64102, India