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The Effect of Nanosilica on Mechanical and Swelling Resistance Properties of Ternary Rubber (NR/SBR/NBR) Blends Nanocomposites with and without Bis(Triethoxysilylpropyl)Tetrasulfane

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Abstract

The production of a new class of plastics with improved properties can be achieved through polymer blends rather than using individual components. This study involved the preparation of nanocomposites using melt compounding, where ternary blends comprising natural rubber (NR), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), and acrylonitrile rubber (NBR) were combined with nanosilica (NS). In the present study, silica nanoparticles (NS) were prepared from rice husk ash to be utilized as a nanofiller in rubber nanocomposites. Subsequently, the study investigated the mechanical properties of these ternary NR/SBR/NBR blend nanocomposites. Throughout the study, the NR/SBR/NBR content remained constant at 30/30/40 phr, and an ultrablend 4000 at 3 phr was used as a compatibilizer, while varying the fractions of nanosilica. The study's results demonstrated that introducing nanofillers led to a notable enhancement in the stability of both scorch time and the optimal cure time of the nanocomposites. Moreover, the nanosilica content was directly proportional to the increase in tensile strength, stress at 100% elongation, elongation at break %, abrasion resistance, and compression set of the nanocomposites. However, the mole percent uptake exhibited a noteworthy decrease as the nanosilica content increased. Further analysis using FESEM of the tensile fracture surfaces revealed that the inclusion of nanosilica in the nanocomposites led to better adhesion of NR/SBR/NBR rubber and enhanced tensile properties. This study demonstrates the potential of utilizing nanocomposites in polymer blends to enhance the overall performance of elastomers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Anna University, Guindy, Chennai, 600025, Tamilnadu, India

    J. Srinivas

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Easwari Engineering College, Bharathi Salai, Ramapuram, Chennai, 600089, Tamilnadu, India

    M. S. Jagatheeshwaran

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, SA Engineering College, Chennai, 600077, Tamilnadu, India

    S. Vishvanathperumal

  4. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Achariya College of Engineering Technology, Villianur, Uruvaiyar, 605110, Puducherry, India

    G. Anand

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Contributions

Mr. J. Srinivas – Experimental work and prepared all figures was done

Dr. M.S. Jagatheeshwaran – Supervise the overall work and Removal of plagiarism from the main manuscript.

Dr. S. Vishvanathperumal and Dr. G. Anand – Wrote the main manuscript text.

And then all authors reviewed the main manuscript.

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Correspondence to J. Srinivas.

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Ethics Approval

This research study received formal approval and ethical clearance from the Institutional Review Boards at several prominent educational institutions in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The participating institutions include Panimalar Engineering College, SRM Easwari Engineering College, SA Engineering College, and Achariya College of Engineering Technology (Puducherry). These approvals were sought to ensure that the research adheres to the highest ethical standards and complies with all relevant guidelines and regulations.

Consent to Participate

This research study was conducted without the involvement of any human subjects or animals. Ethical considerations were carefully addressed, and the study design and methodologies ensured that no human participants or animals were utilized in any aspect of the research process.

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The contents of this manuscript are entirely original and have not been previously published in any form, nor are they subject to any existing copyright restrictions. Furthermore, no part of this manuscript is currently under consideration for publication in any other journals, books, or publications. We affirm that this work is the result of our independent research efforts, and all due diligence has been undertaken to ensure its originality and adherence to ethical publishing standards.

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Srinivas, J., Jagatheeshwaran, M.S., Vishvanathperumal, S. et al. The Effect of Nanosilica on Mechanical and Swelling Resistance Properties of Ternary Rubber (NR/SBR/NBR) Blends Nanocomposites with and without Bis(Triethoxysilylpropyl)Tetrasulfane. Silicon 16, 1669–1688 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12633-023-02800-0

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