Preparation and Application of Rubber Composites

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Processing and Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 April 2024) | Viewed by 7942

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
College of Science, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
Interests: rubber composites; energy-saving tire; styrene butadiene rubber; surface and interface; thermoplastic polyurethane; molecular simulation

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Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Rubber-Plastics, Ministry of Education/Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Rubber-Plastics, Qingdao University of Science & Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
Interests: molecular simulation; rubber; structure and property
School of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Zhongyuan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450007, China
Interests: molecular dynamics simulation; damping rubber; hydrogen bonds; structure-function relationship

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Rubber composites including nano-filled composites, rubber blends, fiber-reinforced composites, etc., are widely used in various aspects of industry. Following technological advancements, higher requirements are put forward for the comprehensive properties of rubber composites. The aim of this Special Issue, titled “Preparation and Application of Rubber Composites”, is to publish original scientific papers describing research on the novel preparation methods, modification methods, composite technology, morphological control, surface and interface engineering, composites processes and potential application of all kinds of rubber composites by experimental and/or computational technology. This Special Issue will thus publish articles on topics including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Novel preparation technology;
  • Nanocomposite;
  • Rubber blends;
  • Surface and interface engineering to improve material performance;
  • Functional and intelligent rubber composites;
  • Rubber composites-based flexible and stretchable electronics;
  • Functional rubbers and their composites for sensors and actuators;
  • Rubber composite membranes;
  • Recyclable rubber composites;
  • 3D printing of rubber composites;
  • Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) elastomer;
  • Modeling and simulation for structural design and performance prediction.

Dr. Yanlong Luo
Dr. Xiujuan Wang
Dr. Meng Song
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • surface and interface
  • nanocomposite
  • rubber blends
  • functional and intelligent
  • flexible and stretchable electronics
  • membranes
  • recyclable
  • 3D printing
  • thermoplastic polyurethane
  • modeling and simulation

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 17782 KiB  
Article
Numerical Simulation of Flow Characteristics for Supercritical CO2-Sprayed Polyurethane Resin
by Chichao Li, Chengrui Zhang, Minghua Xiang, Qing Chen, Zhenyang Luo and Yanlong Luo
Polymers 2024, 16(7), 940; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16070940 - 29 Mar 2024
Viewed by 515
Abstract
Conventional paint spraying processes often use small molecule organic solvents and emit a large amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are highly toxic, flammable, and explosive. Alternatively, the spraying technology using supercritical CO2 (scCO2) as a solvent has attracted [...] Read more.
Conventional paint spraying processes often use small molecule organic solvents and emit a large amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are highly toxic, flammable, and explosive. Alternatively, the spraying technology using supercritical CO2 (scCO2) as a solvent has attracted attention because of its ability to reduce VOC emissions, but the flow characteristics of coatings have not been thoroughly studied. Therefore, we numerically simulate the spraying process based on the actual process of scCO2 spraying polyurethane coatings by computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The effects of inlet pressure and volume fraction of scCO2 on the fluid motion parameters inside the nozzle as well as the atomization effect of droplets outside the nozzle are investigated. The simulated results show that a fluid with a large volume fraction of scCO2 will obtain a smaller density, resulting in a larger velocity and a larger distance for the spray to effectively spray. Higher coating content and bigger inlet pressures will result in higher discrete phase model (DPM) concentrations, and thus a bigger inlet pressure should be used to make the droplets more uniform across the 30° spray range. This study can provide theoretical guidance for the process of scCO2-sprayed polyurethane resin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Preparation and Application of Rubber Composites)
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16 pages, 4498 KiB  
Article
Effect of Modified Natural Rubber on the Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Poly(Lactic Acid) and Its Composites with Nanoparticles from Biowaste
by Preeyaporn Injorhor, Supharat Inphonlek, Yupaporn Ruksakulpiwat and Chaiwat Ruksakulpiwat
Polymers 2024, 16(6), 812; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16060812 - 14 Mar 2024
Viewed by 547
Abstract
The brittle behavior of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and PLA composites with inorganic filler limits their applications; the addition of a toughening agent, such as a rubbery phase, was selected to transform the brittle to ductile behavior for versatility in various applications. This work [...] Read more.
The brittle behavior of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and PLA composites with inorganic filler limits their applications; the addition of a toughening agent, such as a rubbery phase, was selected to transform the brittle to ductile behavior for versatility in various applications. This work aims to study the properties of PLA and PLA composite with filled nanosized hydroxyapatite (nHA) after adding modified natural rubber (MoNR), which acts as a toughening agent. MoNR refers to poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide)-grafted deproteinized natural rubber. nHA was prepared from fish scales. Its characteristics were investigated and was confirmed to be comparable to those of commercial grade. PLA-MoNR at various MoNR contents and PLA/nHA composites with/without MoNR were prepared by melt mixing. Their morphology, mechanical, and thermal properties were observed and investigated. Samples with MoNR added showed the dispersion of spherical particles, indicating incompatibility. However, the mechanical properties of PLA-MoNR, which had MoNR added at 10 phr, showed toughening behavior (increased impact strength by more than two times compared to that of neat PLA). The PLA/nHA composite with MoNR showed the same result. The addition of MoNR in the composite increased its impact strength by 1.27 times compared to the composite without MoNR. MoNR can be a stress concentrator, resulting in toughened PLA and PLA/nHA composite. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Preparation and Application of Rubber Composites)
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18 pages, 4520 KiB  
Article
Low-Temperature Crack Resistance of High-Content Rubber-Powder-Modified Asphalt Mixture under Freeze–Thaw Cycles
by Jia Guo, Chunqing Chang and Lan Wang
Polymers 2024, 16(3), 402; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16030402 - 31 Jan 2024
Viewed by 626
Abstract
In order to study the modification mechanisms of a warm-mixing agent and high dosage on rubber-powder-modified asphalt, as well as the influence of salt freeze–thaw cycling on the mechanism of warm-mixed high-dosage-rubber-powder-modified asphalt, macro- and micro-experimental methods were used to analyze the low-temperature [...] Read more.
In order to study the modification mechanisms of a warm-mixing agent and high dosage on rubber-powder-modified asphalt, as well as the influence of salt freeze–thaw cycling on the mechanism of warm-mixed high-dosage-rubber-powder-modified asphalt, macro- and micro-experimental methods were used to analyze the low-temperature crack resistance performance of six types of rubber-powder-modified asphalt mixtures under salt freeze–thaw cycling. By using digital image processing (DIC) technology to record and analyze the loading processes of specimens in semicircular three-point bending (SCB) tests, combined with atomic force microscopy (AFM) tests, the low-temperature crack resistance of the asphalt mixtures was explored, and it was inferred that the micro-mechanical performance indicators of the asphalt were correlated with the low-temperature crack resistance performance indicators of the asphalt mixtures. The results indicate that the salt solution caused greater damage to the asphalt than water. The addition of more rubber powder improved the low-temperature cracking resistance of the asphalt mixtures. There was a significant correlation between the micro-mechanical properties of the asphalt and the low-temperature crack resistance of the asphalt mixtures, and a dynamic mechanical thermal analyzer (DMT) showed a stronger correlation with the strain derivative (E(t)) than the adhesion force index. The SDYK-type warm-mixing agent had a better effect on the low-temperature cracking resistance of the asphalt mixtures than the EM-type warm-mixing agent. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Preparation and Application of Rubber Composites)
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13 pages, 2963 KiB  
Article
Performance Characteristics of Silicone Rubber for Use in Acidic Environments
by Zhijin Zhang, Zhiqin Zhang, Song Yue, Xingliang Jiang and Jianlin Hu
Polymers 2023, 15(17), 3598; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15173598 - 30 Aug 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1246
Abstract
Silicone rubber insulators are widely used in power grids because of their excellent performance, but aging has been an inevitable problem of silicone rubber, especially in extreme conditions, such as acidic conditions. In order to clarify the performance changes in silicone rubber in [...] Read more.
Silicone rubber insulators are widely used in power grids because of their excellent performance, but aging has been an inevitable problem of silicone rubber, especially in extreme conditions, such as acidic conditions. In order to clarify the performance changes in silicone rubber in an acidic environment, this paper uses the developed acid-resistant silicone rubber sheet and common silicone rubber samples as the research objects, and conducts an aging comparison test on them in a natural acidic environment. The electrical properties, physical properties, and chemical properties of the two types of silicone rubber specimens with different aging times are analyzed to obtain the performance characteristics of silicone rubber under a natural acidic environment. The research results show that the dry flash voltage and pollution flashover voltage of the acid-resistant silicone rubber after one year of aging are greater than those of the common type; the water repellency of both types of silicone rubber remains in good condition. The silicone rubber produced by our team according to the self-developed acid-resistant silicone rubber formula has indeed played a role in delaying aging in an acidic environment compared with the common-type silicone rubber. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Preparation and Application of Rubber Composites)
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13 pages, 4499 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Carbon Black Colloidal Properties on the Parameters of the Kraus Model
by Kirsty J. Rutherford, Keizo Akutagawa, Julien L. Ramier, Lewis B. Tunnicliffe and James J. C. Busfield
Polymers 2023, 15(7), 1675; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15071675 - 28 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1762
Abstract
The Payne Effect (also known as the Fletcher–Gent Effect) has a fundamental impact on the behavior of filled rubber composites and therefore must be considered during their design. This study investigates the influence of carbon black (CB) surface area and structure on the [...] Read more.
The Payne Effect (also known as the Fletcher–Gent Effect) has a fundamental impact on the behavior of filled rubber composites and therefore must be considered during their design. This study investigates the influence of carbon black (CB) surface area and structure on the observed Payne Effect and builds on the existing models of Kraus and Ulmer to explain this phenomenon. Dynamic strain sweeps were carried out on natural rubber (NR) compounds containing eight different grades of CB at equivalent volume fractions. The loss and storage moduli were modeled according to the Kraus and Ulmer equations, using a curve optimization tool in SciPy. Subsequent regression analysis provided strong correlations between the fitting parameters and the CB structure and surface area. Using this regression analysis, this work provides further insight into the physical meaning behind the Kraus and Ulmer models, which are phenomenological in nature. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Preparation and Application of Rubber Composites)
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15 pages, 6925 KiB  
Article
Hyper-Pseudo-Viscoelastic Model and Parameter Identification for Describing Tensile Recovery Stress–Strain Responses of Rubber Components in TBR
by Gao Pan, Meimei Chen, Yao Wang, Jichuan Zhang, Li Liu, Liqun Zhang and Fanzhu Li
Polymers 2023, 15(1), 76; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15010076 - 25 Dec 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2151
Abstract
Tires are often in service under dynamic conditions. Realizing the high-precision prediction of the mechanical response of rubber materials under cyclic loading can provide guidance for the design of high-performance tires. In this work, the tensile recovery stress-strain responses of rubber materials in [...] Read more.
Tires are often in service under dynamic conditions. Realizing the high-precision prediction of the mechanical response of rubber materials under cyclic loading can provide guidance for the design of high-performance tires. In this work, the tensile recovery stress-strain responses of rubber materials in nine different components of a truck and bus radial (TBR) tire were obtained through experiments. Before fitting, an experimental data processing method was proposed to facilitate the parameter identification for a hyper-pseudo-viscoelastic model, that is, the raw experimental data were changed to the adjusted test data. The HyperFit software was used to fit the adjusted test data based on the Yeoh hyperelastic model and the Ogden-Roxburgh pseudoelastic model to obtain the initial material parameters for the two models. In order to describe the permanent set, the Prony series viscoelastic model was introduced. The Isight software was adopted to optimize the parameters. The results showed that the hyper-pseudo-viscoelastic model (i.e., the combination of Yeoh, Ogden-Roxburgh and Prony series models) can describe the tensile recovery mechanical responses (loading curve, unloading curve and permanent set) of nine different rubber components in TBRs. The fitting results are in good agreement with the adjusted data, and all the coefficients of determination (R2) exceed 0.975. Finally, the cyclic deformation simulation of a dumbbell rubber specimen was carried out based on the above constitutive model and fitted parameters. R2 was used to describe the simulation accuracy and its value reached 0.968. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Preparation and Application of Rubber Composites)
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