Nanofiller in aircraft and heavy vehicles tyre rubber compounds

Abstract

Natural rubber is the main polymeric base of aircraft and heavy vehicles tyre rubber compounds. The effect of the same amount of a silica nanofiller on the curing, mechanical and dynamic properties of natural rubber compounds was investigated. The silica surfaces were pre-treated with bis[3-triethoxysilylpropyl] tetrasulfide (TESPT) to chemically bond silica to rubber. The rubbers were primarily cured by using sulfur in TESPT, and the cure was optimized by the addition of accelerator and activator, which helped to form sulfur chemical bonds between the rubber and filler. Different amounts of accelerator and activator were needed to fully crosslink the filled rubbers. The mechanical and dynamical properties of the vulcanizates improved substantially by the incorporation of the filler in the rubber. This was due to high level of rubber-filler adhesion and formation of chemical bonds between the rubber and TESPT.