• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.40-53
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• 2019

The physical properties of chloroprene rubber (CR) compounds reinforced with networked silicas were investigated by comparing them to those reinforced with conventional silica to observe the effect of the organic connection bonds combining silica particles on their cure, tensile, and aging performance. The introduction of networked silica to CR increase in silica content to 80 phr in rubber, while the content of conventional silica was limited to 60 phr. The CR compounds reinforced with networked silica showed higher resistance to combustion. The gradual increases in delta torque, Mooney viscosity, and modulus of silica-filled CR compounds with silica content were mainly attributed to the specific interaction between the chlorine atoms of CR and the hydroxyl groups of silica. The CR compounds reinforced with networked silica showed low compression set and heat build-up and maintained their high modulus even after thermal, oil, and ozone aging.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.114-130
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• 2017

Enhancing the properties of rubber, such as the tensile strength, modulus, and wear abrasion, by the addition of carbon black and silica as fillers is very important for improving the performance of rubber products. In this review, we summarize the general features of 'the reinforcement of rubber by fillers' and the equations for representing the reinforcement phenomena. The rubber reinforcement was attributed to enhancement of the following: the rubber, bound rubber, formation of networks, and combination between rubber chains and silica followed by entanglement. The reinforcement capability of silica species with different surface and networked states demonstrated the importance of the connection between the silica particles and the rubber chains in achieving high reinforcement. The model involving combination followed by entanglement can provide a plausible explanation of the reinforcement of rubber by carbon black and silica because the combination facilitates the concentration of rubber chains near the filler particles, and entanglement of the rubber chains around the filler particles enforces the resistance against deformation and breakage of rubber compounds, resulting in high reinforcement.