TY - JOUR A1 - Strommer, Bettina A1 - Battig, Alexander A1 - Schulze, Dietmar A1 - Agudo Jácome, Leonardo A1 - Schartel, Bernhard A1 - Böhning, Martin T1 - Shape, orientation, interaction, or dispersion: valorization of the influence factors in natural rubber nanocomposites N2 - The addition of nanoparticles as reinforcing fillers in elastomers yields nanocomposites with unique property profiles, which opens the door for various new application fields. Major factors influencing the performance of nanocomposites are studied by varying the type and shape of nanoparticles and their dispersion in the natural rubber matrix. The industrial applicability of these nanocomposites is put into focus using two types of graphene and a nanoscale carbon black, all commercially available, and scalable processing techniques in the form of a highly filled masterbatch production via latex premixing by simple stirring or ultrasonically assisted dispersing with surfactant followed by conventional two-roll milling and hot pressing. Different processing and measurement methods reveal the potential for possible improvements: rheology, curing behavior, static and dynamic mechanical properties, swelling, and fire behavior. The aspect ratio of the nanoparticles and their interaction with the surrounding matrix prove to be crucial for the development of superior nanocomposites. An enhanced dispersing method enables the utilization of the improvement potential at low filler loadings (3 parts per hundred of rubber [phr]) and yields multifunctional rubber nanocomposites: two-dimensional layered particles (graphene) result in anisotropic material behavior with strong reinforcement in the in-plane direction (157% increase in the Young's modulus). The peak heat release rate in the cone calorimeter is reduced by 55% by incorporating 3 phr of few-layer graphene via an optimized dispersing process. KW - Graphene KW - Natural rubber KW - Nanocomposites KW - Anisotropy KW - Fire behavior PY - 2023 DO - https://doi.org/10.5254/rct.23.77961 SN - 0035-9475 SN - 1943-4804 VL - 96 IS - 1 SP - 40 EP - 58 PB - Allen Press CY - Lawrence (KA), USA AN - OPUS4-57568 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Strommer, Bettina T1 - Anisotropy in natural rubber / graphene nanocomposites N2 - The incorporation of nanoscale particles into elastomers enable a boost in performance and/or a distinct reduction of conventional filler loadings due to their high surface to volume ratio. 2D layered nanoparticles like graphene and graphene-related materials provide a great potential as effective fillers in rubber, especially by enhancing mechanical and barrier properties. The type and properties of the nanoparticles, their interface and the elastomeric matrix materials influence the technical behavior, and therefore the potential application fields of such rubber nanocomposites. Especially crucial for the efficiency of the nanofiller, however, is its best possible incorporation into the elastomer. The dispersing of nanoparticles without agglomerates usually constitutes a challenge when using conventional two-roll milling or internal mixing. Academic approaches for highly dispersed nanocomposites solve this problem but are often energy and time consuming with no feasible scale up possibility. Therefore, an ultrasonic assisted NR latex premixing process was established to produce highly filled masterbatches, enabling the main processing with conventional rubber processing techniques. Two carbon-based nanoparticles with similar specific surface areas were investigated and incorporated in natural rubber as nanocomposites: A commercially available multilayer graphene (MLG) and a nanoscale carbon black (nCB). The mentioned premixed masterbatches were further processed to nanocomposites by the addition of matrix NR, two-roll milling, and hot pressing (vulcanization). By this procedure an increase in Young’s modulus of 157% (MLG) and 71% (nCB) could be obtained at a concentration level of 3 phr. As anisotropic material behavior was observable for the nanocomposites containing MLG, different measurement methods were investigated to quantify the orientation of the nanoparticles in the nanocomposites: Sorption measurements (swelling in 2 dimensions), hardness and dynamical mechanical analysis (in-plane vs. cross-plane), X-Ray diffraction and transmission and scanning electron microscopy. T2 - DKT IRC 21 CY - Nuremberg, Germany DA - 27.06.2022 KW - Processing KW - Elastomers KW - Nanocomposites KW - Graphene KW - Orientation KW - Anisotropy PY - 2022 AN - OPUS4-55205 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Strommer, Bettina T1 - Networking Skills: The Effect of Graphene on Crosslinking N2 - 2D layered nanoparticles enable a distinct reduction of filler loadings in rubber compounds combined with a boost in performance due to their high surface to volume ratio. They often enable unique property profiles providing a great potential as effective fillers in rubber, especially by enhancing mechanical and barrier properties. As the best possible incorporation into the elastomer matrix is crucial for the efficiency of the nanofiller, dispersing and exfoliation of the nanoparticles without formation of agglomerates usually constitutes an outstanding challenge - especially when using conventional processing methods. Laboratory-scale approaches for highly dispersed nanocomposites sometimes solve this problem, but these are often too energy and time consuming and provide no scale up possibility for real applications. Therefore, a latex premixing process was established to produce highly filled masterbatches, enabling the processing with conventional techniques. The presence of nanoparticles greatly impacts the behavior of elastomeric compounds, besides affecting the properties of the final product also the processing is influenced (rheology, crosslinking). In this study, nanocomposites of natural rubber and multilayer graphene (MLG) were prepared via a latex masterbatch route. Different strategies for masterbatch premixing are compared (stirring vs. ultrasonication, coagulation vs. drying). Dispersion and exfoliation of MLG were determined by transmission electron microscopy. The reinforcing effect of MLG affects the viscosity while the dispersed graphene layers may also act as diffusion barrier/absorbent for the crosslinking agents. In contrast to that, MLG forms physical crosslinks in the final product. Swelling measurements and differential scanning calorimetry allow a differentiation between chemical and physical network links. Different technical properties of the nanocomposites were measured with respect to mechanical and application relevant behavior. T2 - PPS 37 CY - Online meeting DA - 12.04.2022 KW - Elastomers KW - Nanocomposites KW - Graphene KW - Nanoparticles KW - Latex KW - Natural rubber KW - Processing PY - 2022 AN - OPUS4-54696 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Strommer, Bettina A1 - Battig, Alexander A1 - Frasca, Daniele A1 - Schulze, Dietmar A1 - Huth, Christian A1 - Böhning, Martin A1 - Schartel, Bernhard T1 - Multifunctional Property Improvements by Combining Graphene and Conventional Fillers in Chlorosulfonated Polyethylene Rubber Composites N2 - The incorporation of nanoparticles like multilayer graphene (MLG) into elastomeric composites boosts their technical performance, such as their mechanical behavior and electrical conductivity. Common filler types (carbon black (CB) and aluminum trihydroxide (ATH)) generally fulfill single, specific purposes and are often used in high loadings. CB typically reinforces rubber mechanically, while ATH increases flame retardancy. Small amounts of MLG reduce these high filler contents and maintain the multifunctional characteristics of rubber composites. In chlorosulfonated polyethylene (CSM) + ATH, an intrinsically flame-retardant rubber was designed to achieve the highest standards such as maximum average of heat emission (MARHE) <90 kW m−2, 3 phrMLG was substituted for 15 phr CB and/or 3 phr ATH via an industrially applicable processing approach. Replacing either CB or ATH resulted in a property profile that was multifunctionally improved in terms of features such as mechanical performance, reduced sorption, and flame retardance. MLG nanocomposites are reported to show promise as an industrially utilizable route to obtain multifunctional high-performance rubbers. KW - Nanocomposites KW - Rubber KW - Multilayer graphene KW - Flame retardancy KW - Synergy KW - Nanoparticles KW - Elastomers PY - 2022 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.1c01469 SN - 2637-6105 VL - 4 IS - 2 SP - 1021 EP - 1034 PB - ACS Publ. CY - Washington, DC AN - OPUS4-54330 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Strommer, Bettina T1 - Natural Rubber Nanocomposites via Optimized Latex Premixing and Conventional Technical Processing N2 - Creation of highly functional materials and replacement of high amounts of conventional fillers are driving forces for the development of nanocomposites. Besides the type and properties of nanoparticles, their dispersing in the elastomeric matrix and the stability of this dispersion through all processing steps are the main factors for the resulting performance of the produced material. Therefore, a preparation chain via latex premixing to a highly filled masterbatch, followed by conventional technical processing is to be developed. Three types of carbon-based particles are characterized as such (SEM, Raman Spectroscopy, BET specific surface area) and in combination with natural rubber, as nanocomposites (TEM. Hardness, Abrasion resistance, Compression set, Cone calorimetry). All of the studied particles lead to an improvement in the investigated mechanical properties, the extent of reinforcement depends strongly on the specific surface of the particle interacting with the elastomeric matrix in combination with their shape. T2 - DKG Elastomer Symposium CY - Online meeting DA - 28.06.2021 KW - Processing KW - Elastomers KW - Nanocomposites KW - Graphene KW - Nanoparticles KW - Latex KW - Natural rubber PY - 2021 AN - OPUS4-53106 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -