ASSESSMENT OF THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF NR/SBR BLEND REINFORCED WITH EGG SHELL AND CARBON BLACK

Abstract

The assessment of the mechanical properties of NR/SBR blend reinforced with egg shell (ES) and carbon black (CB) were investigated. The egg shell was ground with automated machine into powder form, sieved and used in compounding the NR/SBR blend by varying the loadings at 0-50 pphr. The mechanical properties investigated such as tensile strength, tensile modulus, elongation at break, hardness, abrasion resistance, compression set and fatigue resistance, showed increase in tensile strength (ES: 13.4215-25.1126MPa) and (CB: 13.4215-31.0524 MPa), tensile modulus (ES = 4.2439-11.8009 MPa) and (CB;  4.2439-16.0031 MPa), abrasion resistance (ES:  20.1140-36.6532 mm³/rev.) and (CB:  20.1140-40.0068 mm³/rev.) for filler loadings 0-50 pphr then the decreased at filler loading 50 pphr. The hardness showed an increase for both filler loadings (ES:  28.1603-65.6007 Shore A) and (CB:  28.1603-72.5310 Shore A) while noticeable decrease in properties such as elongation at break (ES:  721.7220-535.2889%) and (CB: 721.7220-621.1225%), compression set (ES:  56.2310-30.0705%) and (CB = 56.2310-40.2119%), fatigue resistance (ES:  11.2880-5.0300 Kc x 10³) and (CB:  11.2880-7.1882 Kc x 10³) as the filler loadings increased. The NR/SBR blend composites showed an improved abrasion resistance at filler loadings 0-40 pphr before decreasing at 50 pphr (ES = 30.5211 mm³/rev and CB = 37.8006 mm³/rev.). The CB-filled NR/SBR blend composites exhibited excellent mechanical properties and enhanced performance when compared with ES-filled NR/SBR blend composites.