Nanocomposites were obtained from a masterbatch of acrylonitrile—butadiene copolymer (NBR; nitrile rubber) and organomodified layered silicate (nanoclay) prepared in an internal mixer followed by mixing with neat NBR and other compounding ingredients on a two-roll mill. Addition of nanoclay reduced the cure time and the vulcanization kinetics closely fitted a first-order model. The morphology was investigated by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The tensile strength, modulus (M100), and storage modulus (E') increased up to 5-phr nanoclay content and thereafter showed a decline. The effect of temperature and frequency on E' and loss tangent was also investigated.
Alexandre M. and Dubois P.Polymer-layered silicate nanocomposites: preparation, properties and uses of a new class of materials. Mater Sci Eng R Rep2000; 28(1-2): 1-63.
2.
Pavlidou S. and Papaspyrides CDA review on polymer- layered silicate nanocomposites. Prog Polym Sci2008; 33(12): 1119-1198.
3.
Sengupta R., Chakraborty S., Bandyopadhyay S., et al. A short review on rubber/clay nanocomposites with emphasis on mechanical properties. Polym Eng Sci2007; 47(11): 1956-1974.
4.
Hussain F., Hojjati M., Okamoto M. and Gorga REReview article: Polymer-matrix nanocomposites, processing, manufacturing, and application: an overview. J Compos Mater2006; 40(17): 1511-1575.
5.
Ray SS and Okamoto M.Polymer/layered silicate nanocomposites: a review from preparation to processing . Prog Polym Sci2003; 28(11): 1539-1641.
6.
Biswas M. and Ray SSRecent progress in synthesis and evaluation of polymer-montmorillonite nanocomposites . Adv Polym Sci2001; 155: 167-221.
7.
Százdi L., Pozsgay A. and Pukanszky B.Factors and processes influencing the reinforcing effect of layered silicates in polymer nanocomposites. Eur Polym J2007; 43(2): 345-359.
8.
LeBaron PC, Wang Z. and Pinnavaia TJPolymer-layered silicate nanocomposites: an overview. Appl Clay Sci1999; 15(1-2): 11-29.
9.
Goettler LA, Lee KY and Thakkar H.Layered silicate reinforced polymer nanocomposites: development and applications . Polym Rev2007; 47(2): 291-317.
10.
Karger-Kocsis J. and Wu CMThermoset rubber/layered silicate nanocomposites. Status and future trends. Polym Eng Sci2004 ; 44(6): 1083-1093.
11.
Nah C., Ryu HJ, Kim WD and Choi S.Barrier property of clay-acrylonitrile butadiene copolymer nanocomposite . Polym Adv Technol2002; 13(9): 649-652.
12.
Maiti M. and Bhowmick AKDynamic viscoelastic properties of fluoroelastomer/clay nanocomposites . Polym Eng Sci2007; 47(11): 1777-1787.
13.
Sadhu S. and Bhowmick AKMorphology study of rubber based nanocomposites by transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. J Mater Sci2005 ; 40(7): 1633-1642.
14.
Jia Q., Wu Y., Wang Y., Lu M. and Zhang L.Enhanced interfacial interaction of rubber/clay nanocomposites by a novel two-step method. Compos Sci Technol2008; 68(3-4): 1050-1056.
15.
Wu Y., Jia Q., Yu D. and Zhang L.Modeling Young’s modulus of rubber-clay nanocomposites using composite theories. Polym Test2004; 23(8): 903-909.
16.
Varghese S. and Karger-Kocsis J.Natural rubber-based nanocomposites by latex compounding with layered silicates. Polymer2003; 44(17): 4921-4927.
17.
Kader MA, Kim K., Lee YS and Nah C.Preparation and properties of nitrile rubber/montmorillonite nanocomposites via latex blending. J Mater Sci2006; 41(22): 7341-7352.
18.
Zheng H., Zhang Y., Peng Z. and Zhang Y.Influence of clay modification on the structure and mechanical properties of EPDM/montmorillonite nanocomposites. Polym Test2004; 23(2): 217-223.
19.
Herrmann W. , Uhl C., Heinrich G. and Jehnichen D.Analysis of HNBR-montmorillonite nanocomposites morphology, orientation and macroscopic properties. Polym Bull2006; 57(3): 395-405.
20.
Gatos KG and Karger-Kocsis J.Effects of primary and quaternary amine intercalants on the organoclay dispersion in a sulfur-cured EPDM rubber. Polymer2005 ; 46(9): 3069-3076.
21.
Das A., Jurk R., Stöckelhuber KW and Heinrich G.Rubber curing chemistry governing the orientation of layered silicate . eXPRESS Polym Lett2007; 1(11): 717-723.
22.
Gatos KG, Thomann R. and Karger-Kocsis J.Characteristics of ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber/organoclay nanocomposites resulting from different processing conditions and formulations . Polym Int2004; 53(8): 1191-1197.
23.
Kim J., Oh T. and Lee D.Preparation and characteristics of nitrile rubber (NBR) nanocomposites based on organophilic layered clay. Polym Int2003 ; 52(7): 1058-1063.
24.
Nah C., Ryu HJ, Kim WD and Chang YWPreparation and properties of acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer hybrid nanocomposites with organoclays. Polym Int2003; 52(8): 1359-1364.
25.
Hwang W., Wei K. and Wu C.Preparation and mechanical properties of nitrile butadiene rubber/silicate nanocomposites. Polymer2004; 45(16): 5729-5734.
26.
Wu YP, Jia QX, Yu D. and Zhang LQStructure and properties of nitrile rubber (NBR)-clay nanocomposites by co-coagulating NBR latex and clay aqueous suspension. J Appl Polym Sci2003; 89(14): 3855-3858.
27.
Balachandran M., Mythili T., Smitha M. and Bhagawan SSMechanical behaviour of nanoclay-NBR composites . In: Asia Rub Tech Expo 2006 Proceedings, Cochin, India.
28.
Balachandran M., Muraleekrishnan R. and Bhagawan SSOptimizing the properties of nanoclay-nitrile rubber composites using Box-Behken design. In: ISAMPE National Conference (INCCOM-8) ‘‘Emerging Trends in Composite Materials and Technology’’ 2009 Proceedings , Thiruvananthapuram, India.
29.
Balachandran M., Stanly LP, Muraleekrishnan R. and Bhagawan SSModelling NBR-layered silicate nanocomposites: a DoE approach. J Appl Polym Sci2010; 118(6): 3300-3310.
30.
Ganter M., Gronski W., Reichert P. and Mülhaupt R.Rubber nanocomposites: morphology and mechanical properties of BR and SBR vulcanizates reinforced by organophilic layered silicates. Rubber Chem Technol2001; 74(2): 221-235.
31.
Chang YW, Yang Y., Ryu S. and Nah C.Preparation and properties of EPDM/organomontmorillonite hybrid nanocomposites . Polym Int2002; 51(4): 319-324.
32.
Hwang WG, Wei K. and Wu C.Mechanical, thermal, and barrier properties of NBR/organosilicate nanocomposites . Polym Eng Sci2004; 44(11): 2117-2124.
33.
Mathew G., Rhee JM, Lee YS, Park DH and Nah C.Cure kinetics of ethylene acrylate rubber/clay nanocomposites. J Ind Eng Chem2008; 14(1): 60-65.
34.
El-Nashar DE , Mansour SH and Girgis E.Nickel and iron nano-particles in natural rubber composites. J Mater Sci2006; 41(16): 5359-5364.
35.
Chen JS, Poliks MD, Ober CK, Zhang Y., Wiesner U. and Giannelis EPStudy of the interlayer expansion mechanism and thermal-mechanical properties of surface-initiated epoxy nanocomposites. Polymer2002; 43(18): 4895-4904.
36.
Giannelis EP , Krishnamoorti R. and Manias E.Polymer- silicate nanocomposites: model systems for confined polymers and polymer brushes. Adv Polym Sci1999; 138: 107-147.
37.
Ray SS and Bousmina M.Biodegradable polymers and their layered silicate nanocomposites: in greening the 21st century materials world. Prog Mater Sci2005; 50(8): 962-1079.
38.
Varghese S. and Karger-Kocsis J.Melt-compounded natural rubber nanocomposites with pristine and organophilic layered silicates of natural and synthetic origin. J Appl Polym Sci2004; 91(2): 813-819.
39.
Varghese S. , Karger-Kocsis J. and Gatos KGMelt compounded epoxidized natural rubber/layered silicate nanocomposites: structure-properties relationships. Polymer2003; 44(14): 3977-3983.
40.
Dritis VA and Tchoubar C.X-ray diffraction by disordered lamellar structures. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1990.
41.
Morgan AB and Gilman JWCharacterization of polymer-layered silicate (clay) nanocomposites by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction: a comparative study . J Appl Polym Sci2003; 87(8): 1329-1338.
42.
Kim J., Lee D., Oh T. and Lee D.Characteristics of nitrile- butadiene rubber layered silicate nanocomposites with silane coupling agent. J Appl Polym Sci2003; 89(10): 2633-2640.
43.
Dong Y., Bhattacharyya D. and Hunter PJExperimental characterisation and object-oriented finite element modelling of polypropylene/organoclay nanocomposites. Compos Sci Technol2008; 68(14): 2864-2875.
44.
Chow WS, Bakar AA, Mohd Ishak ZA, Karger-Kocsis J. and Ishiaku USEffect of maleic anhydride-grafted ethylene-propylene rubber on the mechanical, rheological and morphological properties of organoclay reinforced polyamide 6/polypropylene nanocomposites. Eur Polym J2005; 41(4): 687-696.
45.
Ahmadi SJ, Yudong H. and Li W.Synthesis of EPDM/ organoclay nanocomposites: effect of the clay exfoliation on structure and physical properties. Iran Polym J2004; 13(5): 415-422.
46.
Moly KA, Bhagawan SS, Groeninckx G. and Thomas S.Correlation between the morphology and dynamic mechanical properties of ethylene vinyl acetate/linear low-density polyethylene blends: effects of the blend ratio and compatibilization. J Appl Polym Sci2006; 100(6): 4526-4538.
47.
Idicula M., Malhotra SK, Joseph K. and Thomas S.Dynamic mechanical analysis of randomly oriented intimately mixed short banana/sisal hybrid fibre reinforced polyester composites. Compos Sci Technol2005; 65(7-8): 1077-1087.
Choi JS, Lim ST, Choi HJ, Pozsgay A., SźAzdi L. and Pukanszky B.Viscoelastic properties of exfoliated polyamide-6/layered silicate nanocomposite . J Mater Sci2006; 41(6): 1843-1846.
50.
Sohn JI, Lee CH, Lim ST, Kim TH, Choi HJ and Jhon MSViscoelasticity and relaxation characteristics of polystyrene/clay nanocomposite . J Mater Sci2003; 38(9): 1849-1852.
51.
Fu S., Feng X., Lauke B. and Mai Y.Effects of particle size, particle/matrix interface adhesion and particle loading on mechanical properties of particulate-polymer composites. Composites Part B2008; 39(6): 933-961.
52.
Hu H., Onyebueke L. and Abatan A.Characterizing and modeling mechanical properties of nanocomposites - review and evaluation. J Miner Mater Charact Eng2010; 9(4): 275-319.
53.
Luo J. and Daniel IMCharacterization and modeling of mechanical behavior of polymer/clay nanocomposites . Compos Sci Technol2003; 63(11): 1607-1616.
54.
Kalaitzidou K., Fukushima H., Miyagawa H. and Drzal LTFlexural and tensile moduli of polypropylene nanocomposites and comparison of experimental data to Halpin-Tsai and Tandon-Weng models. Polym Eng Sci2007; 47(11): 1796-1803.
55.
Fornes TD and Paul DRModeling properties of nylon 6/clay nanocomposites using composite theories . Polymer2003; 44(17): 4993-5013.
56.
Yung KC, Wang J. and Yue TMModeling Young’s modulus of polymer-layered silicate nanocomposites using a modified Halpin-Tsai micromechanical model. J Reinf Plast Compos2006; 25(8): 847-861.
57.
Sheng N., Boyce MC, Parks DM, Rutledge GC, Abes JI and Cohen REMultiscale micromechanical modeling of polymer/clay nanocomposites and the effective clay particle. Polymer2004 ; 45(2): 487-506.
58.
Bhattacharya M. and Bhowmick AKPolymer-filler interaction in nanocomposites: new interface area function to investigate swelling behavior and Young’s modulus. Polymer2008; 49(22): 4808-4818.
