How Does Blending Affect Creep Resistance of Natural Rubber-SilicaComposites?

Control of creep resistance, as a critical indicator affecting the long-term durability of rubber components subjectedto high mechanical loads, has always been of significant concern. In the design of seismic dampers for buildingsand in rubber-metal components of vehicle suspension systems, durability and performance over very long timespans (up to several decades) are essential requirements. The diversity of properties achievable with rubbercompounds in a given application often leads to the enhancement of a specific mechanical property at the expenseof weakening other functional behaviours of the component. Creep control through the engineering of filler-rubberparticle interactions represents an innovative approach in creep control. While surface modification of silicaparticles with dual-functional silanes has recently gained attention as a key strategy in creep control, the industrialchallenges surrounding in-situ modification of silica with silanes raise important questions about the efficacy ofsilane surface modification compared to other methods such as blending and particle alignment in a preferredthermodynamic phase. In this study, our aim is to investigate the influence of blending on the creep resistance,particularly physical creep. Various types of NR/ENR blends were prepared. Analysis of bound rubber couldquantify the level of mobility restricting mechanisms that are active in the blend system. Long-term creep behaviouris also measured using a designed fixture. Attempts are made to relate the creep behaviour to the microstructuralmodification at the polymer-filler interface

کلیدواژه ها:

Natural Rubber ، Creep ، Silica ، Blending