The Research Of Structure And Properties Of Clay/Butyl Rubber Blends Nanocomposites

IIR and BIIR were widely studied and applied in inner tube and inner liner of tire as the preferred rubber for their remarkable gas barrier property. Many ways were tried to both improve the processing and gas barrier properties and reduce the cost through blending of different rubbers, however these methods were limited for the gas barrier properties getting poor because of the blending. In this article different types of rubber/clay nanocomposites were prepared by mechanical blending and the method to maintain high air tightness was also explored. The aim of this theoretical research is to better serve as practical application, and the industrialization and application of rubber/clay nanocomposite is of important and practical significance.Followed contents have been studied in this paper:1. In this study the IIR/EPDM/OC nanocomposites were prepared by mechanical blending with different methods to keep excellent gas barrier properties. And the structure and mechanical properties of the nanocomposites were characterrized by TEM, XRD, DSC, DMA, and so on. The desperision and distribution of OC in the blends were also researched.2. Industrialized styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR)/clay nanocompound, gum brominated butyl rubber (BIIR), and carbon black (CB) were blended in different proportions to prepare BIIR-SBR/clay-CB nanocomposites through mechanical blending. The micro-structure of the blends, the phase state and compatibility of each matrix component were characterized by TEM, XRD, DSC, DMA, and so on. The results showed that, the islands-in-sea structural blends, were composed of BIIR continuous phase and SBR disperse phase, and most of the clay nano-dispersed in SBR phase. Due to the excellent gas barrier effect of nano-dispersed clay and the continuous phase BIIR having very good gas tightness, the gas tightness of the blends in proper proportions should be maintained.3. The bromobutyl rubber nanocomposites were prepared by mechanical blending and its properties including mechanical and gas barrier properties were experimentally investigated with different blending ratio of organic clay and carbon black. The micro-structures of the blends were also researched to explain the macro-properties of the nanocomposites.4. The reinforcement behavior of RIIR was researched through changing formulation and reinforcing system to solve the problem that RIIR can not be easily reinforced. The results showed that, the mechanical property can not be raised greatly by the increase of the amounts of OC and accelerator. RIIR alone can not meet the requirement in application and the method of blending with other rubbers should be considered.