Improved curing conditions and mechanical/chemical properties of Nitrile Butadiene Rubber Composites Reinforced with Carbon Based Nanofillers

Multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and carbon nanofibers (CNFs) with contents ranging from 1 to 10 phr (part per hundred parts of rubber) were selected and then characterized to reinforce acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) based composites. Fabrication of nanocomposites were done by a novel procedure and structural analysis along with variety of mechanical and chemical tests, according to the standard methods, were implemented to evaluate their properties. As a result, cure conditions, mechanical, and chemical properties of fabricated nanocomposites were further improved and optimized. The NBR nanocomposite containing 10 phr of MWCNTs devotes the best performance in curing time (13.3 % reduction), shore A hardness (36.4 % improvement), compression set (12.2 % reduction) and swelling rate in methyl ethyl ketone solvent (by the amount of 120 %) than those of other prepared nanocomposites and as a result, this nanocomposite was proposed as a material with the best improved properties for further industrial applications. However, 1 and 5 phr contents of MWCNTs were found to be optimum values of nanofillers to be added to the NBR in case of tensile strength and elongation at break properties.