Rubber / Layered Silicate Nano-composites And The Structure And Performance Relationship Study

In this research, several rubber/ layered silicates nanocomposites have been prepared by extruding. Organic layered silicates were prepared in our lab. The preparation technology and the relationship between micro-structure and property of nanocomposites have been studied.NBR/layered silicates nanocomposites have been produced successfully by twin-screwed extruder. The result of Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) showed that layers of layered silicates were exfoliated and dispersed in matrix homogeneously. According to statistical data, average thickness of layers was lOnm, and the thickness of the biggest layers was less than 40nm, only a few layers were exfoliated in monolayer whose thickness was about Inm. Mechanical property, thermal-oxidative-ageing property, flame retardancy and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) of nanocomposites have been studied, and a comparison between nanocomposites and carbon black reinforced rubber was made. The results of comparison showed that when the content of fillers was from 3 to 10 parts, the mechanical property of NBR/layered silicates nanocomposites is higher than that of carbon black reinforced rubber. The tensile strength of nanocomposites was 1.84 times of carbon black reinforced rubber, and the tear strength was 1.49 times. When the content of layered silicates was 20 parts, the flame retardancy of NBR/layered silicates nanocomposites was 1.21 times of carbon black reinforced rubber which had the same content of carbon black. The thermal-oxidative-ageing property of nanocomposites was higher than that of carbon black reinforced rubber.NBR/carboxyl liquid NBR/layered silicates nanocomposites have been prepared successfully. The result of TEM showed that layers of layered silicates were dispersed in matrix even, most of layers were dispersed in nanosize. The tear strength of nanocomposites was improved obviously. When the content of layered silicated is 3 parts, the tear strength of nanocomposites was improved 26.3% over carbon black reinforced rubber.Layered silicates reinforcing non-polar rubber by extruding was firstly investigated. EPDM/layered silicates nanocomposites and SBR/layered silicates nanocomposites have been prepared successfully. The result of TEM showed that layers of layered silicates were dispersed in matrix homogeneously, most of layersexisted in multi-layers whose thickness was about 30nm. The mechanical property of rubber/layered silicates nanocomposites was improved obviously, and at the same content of fillers, the mechanical property of nanocomposites was higher than that of carbon black reinforced rubber.The primary study on the application of layered silicates in epoxy and acrylic resin has been carried out, and intercalated nanocomposites have been prepared successfully.In this research, the factors which influence the intercalation and exfoliation of layered silicates have been analyzed. The dispersion of layered silicates into rubber and the mechanism of improving mechanical properties of rubber due to the addition of layered silicates have been theoretically analyzed.