A Comparative Study on Curing Characteristics, Mechanical Properties, Swelling Behavior, Thermal Stability, and Morphology of Feldspar and Silica in SMR L Vulcanizates

Abstract

AbstractComparison studies on effects of feldspar and silica (Vulcasil C) as a filler in (SMR L grade natural rubber) vulcanizates on curing characteristics, mechanical properties, swelling behavior, thermal analysis, and morphology were examined. The incorporation of both fillers increases the scorch time, t2, and cure time, t90, of SMR L vulcanizates. At a similar filler loading, feldspar exhibited longer t2 and t90 but lower values of maximum torque, MHR, and torque difference, MHR–ML than did silica-filled SMR L vulcanizates. For mechanical properties, both fillers were found to be effective in enhancing the tensile strength (up to 10 phr), tensile modulus, and hardness of the vulcanizates. However, feldspar-filled SMR L vulcanizates showed lower values of mechanical properties than did silica-filled SMR L vulcanizates. Swelling measurement indicates that swelling percentages of both fillers-filled SMR L vulcanizates decrease with increasing filler loading whereas silica shows a lower swelling percentage than feldspar-filled SMR L vulcanizates. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) on fracture surface of tensile samples showed poor filler–matrix adhesion for both fillers with increasing filler loading in the vulcanizates. However, feldspar-filled SMR L vulcanizates showed poorer filler–matrix adhesion than did silica-filled SMR L vulcanizates. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results indicate that the feldspar-filled SMR L vulcanizates have higher thermal stability than do silica-filled SMR L vulcanizates.Keywords: FeldsparSilicaCuring characteristicsMechanical propertiesSwelling behaviorThermal analysisMorphologySMR L vulcanizates