The Effects of Filler Loading and 3- aminopropyltriethoxysilane in Epoxidised Natural Rubber-Alumina Nanoparticles Composites (ENRAN) N.Mohamad *,** , A. Muchtar * , M. J. Ghazali * , Dahlan H.M. *** , C.H. Azhari * * Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia. ** Faculty of Manufacturing, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, 75450 Ayer Keroh, Melaka, Malaysia. E-mail: [email protected] *** Malaysian Nuclear Agency 43000 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia. ENRAN is predicted to exhibit combined properties of its constituents: epoxidised natural rubber (ENR) and alumina nanoparticles. ENR shows unique properties such as good oil resistance, low gas permeability, higher wet grip, rolling resistance, and a high strength (1) . Alumina is a structural material with an extremely high melting point (2050C), high hardness, and capable to take on diverse shapes and functions (2) . The ENRAN is proposed as a potential material for impact absorber in body armour. The alumina nanoparticles showed good compatibility with ENR since it increased the tensile modulus, hardness and glass transition temperature as their amount is increased in the composites (3) . Silane coupling agent is added into the composites to increase the adhesion and INTRODUCTION TYPICAL FORMULATION INGREDIENTS LOADINGS (phr) a ENR 50 100 Zinc oxide 2.0 Sulphur 1.6 Stearic acid 1.5 CBS b 1.9 TMTD c 0.9 6PPD d 2.0 SCA e 2.0 Alumina 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 a Parts per hundred rubber b N-cyclohexylbenthiazyl sulphonamide c Tetramethylthiuram disulfide d N-(1,3-Dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-p- phenylenediamine e 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane COMPOUNDING & TESTING RESULTS Alum ina nanoparticles (phr) 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 W eightoftoluene uptake pergram ofrubber,Q (g) 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0 2.2 untreated E N RAN treated E N RAN Alum ina nanoparticles (phr) 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 G lass Transition Tem perature,Tg (degC ) -19.0 -18.5 -18.0 -17.5 -17.0 -16.5 -16.0 -15.5 -15.0 untreated E N RAN treated E N RAN ENRAN 30 phr (untreated) ENRAN 30 phr (treated) ENRAN 60 phr (untreated) ENRAN 60 phr (treated) Alum ina nanoparticles (phr) 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 Torque (dN m) 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 M L (untreated E N RAN) M L (treated E N RAN) M H (untreated E N RAN) M H (treated E N RAN) Alum ina nanoparticles (phr) 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 M ax.Torque -M in.Torque,M H -M L (dN m) 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 untreated E N RAN treated E N RAN Alum ina nanoparticles (phr) 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 Tim e (m in) 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 t2 (untreated E N RAN) t2 (treated E N RAN) t90 (untreated E N RAN) t90 (treated E N RAN) Cure Characteristics Analysis RAMM & ASMP 2009, Bayview Beach Resort , Batu Feringhi, Penang, MALAYSIA The cure characteristics were affected by crosslink density, adhesion between filler and matrix and filler dispersion. The alumina nanoparticles show a good compatibility with ENR matrix since it improve the cure characteristics and increase the glass transition temperature. The SCA has interrupted the compatibility between alumina and ENR and decreased the T as well as CONCLUSIONS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia & Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) for granting the FRGS(UKM-RS- 02-FRGS0003-2007), MINT for equipments and UTeM for study leave (N. Mohamad). REFERENCES (1) Ismail, H. and Chia, H.H., Euro Poly J, 34, 12, 1998, pp. 1857-1863 (2) Noboru, I., Introduction to Fine Ceramics (Application in Engineering), John Wiley & Sons Ltd., 1987. (3) Mohamad N., Muchtar A., Ghazali M.J., Dahlan, H.M., Azhari, C.H., Euro J. of Sci Res 24(4), 2008, pp. 538-547. OTHER INGREDIENTS TWO ROLL MILL ENR ALUMINA NANOPARTICLES MONSANTO RHEOMETER HAAKE ENRAN SWELL MEASUREMENT DSC ENRAN HOT PRESS SEM