Experimental and theoretical investigations of Microstructure, vulcanization kinetics and Mechanical properties of Carboxylated nitrile butadiene rubber /Epoxy/ Halloysite nanotubes

The main goal of this research is the preparation and study of nanocomposites based on carboxylated nitrile butadiene rubber )XNBR( and epoxy resin reinforced by halloysite nanotubes )HNTs(. The effect of various HNTs loadings on the cure characteristics, morphology, cure kinetics and mechanical properties of binary XNBR/Epoxy systems was investigated. The results of cure rheometer indicated that the introduction of HNTs into the XNBR/Epoxy matrix leads to a decreased scorch time up 25% and higher maximum torque values. The resulted SEM photomicrographs of fractured section from tension tests revealed a more rough fractured surface of nanocomposites containing HNTs with a distributed of nanotubes into the polymer matrix. The study of cure kinetics show that the introduction of HNTs into the polymer system decreases the activation energy needed for curing reaction up to 40% . The results of tension tests demonstrated a higher Young’s modulus up to 1.46 MPa and tensile strength up to 2.58 MPa with higher loadings of HNTs into the XNBR/ Epoxy matrix. The analyses of XNBR/Epoxy/HNTs nanocomposites indicated that with the natural and inexpensive reinforce nano materials, it is possible to make nanocomposites with higher mechanical strength up to 40% with respect to neat polymer.