Thermo-elasticity of multi walled carbon nanotube- natural rubber/acrylonitrile butadiene rubber blends

Abstract

Natural rubber nano-composites are emerging as one of the key players in the industry and research due to its novel material properties and nano functionalities. In order to create high performance natural rubber nano-composites, new multifunctional nano-fillers can be created using a various approaches due to the advances of nanotechnology. Blends of natural rubber (NR) and acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) were used to evaluate the effects of various constitutional ratios between the two substances of fixed weight of multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The increase in the frequency of alternating extension (fatigue deformation) for samples (B2, B3) causes an increase in the thermo-elastic temperature change. The breakdown of the structure is thought to be prevailing at high strain amplitude and consequently may account for the observed effect. The thermo-elastic measurements also involve the determination of the thermo-elastic coefficient, change in entropy, internal energy per unit length, and Gruneisen constant. All these parameters were found to be highly dependent on both fatigue parameters and NR/NBR polymer ratios in the composite. The prepared sample (50/50 phr) can be used as thermo-elastic sensors.