Palygorskite-cerium oxide filled rubber nanocomposites

Palygorskite (PA)-cerium oxide (CeO2) was modified with cetyl-trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) to be used as filler of high-performance natural rubber (NR)/styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) nanocomposites. The microstructure of the filler and the rubber nanocomposites were characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution TEM (HRTEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The TEM/HRTEM images and XRD/SAED patterns revealed that face-centered cubic CeO2 nanoparticles with an average diameter of 5 nm were homogeneously distributed on the surfaces of the PA fibers. The influences of CTAB modified PA-CeO2 (CTAB-PA-CeO2) on the curing, morphological, mechanical and thermal properties of the rubber nanocomposites were investigated. The curing measurements indicated that the addition of CTAB-PA-CeO2 increased the crosslink density and shortened the curing process of the rubber nanocomposites. The SEM and TEM images demonstrated that the CTAB-PA-CeO2 fibers were homogeneously distributed within the NR/SBR matrix. The nanoscale dispersion of CTAB-PA-CeO2 and adequate rubber/filler interactions as well as the special rubber/filler network resulted in an obvious reinforcement. The TGA curves illustrated that the thermal stability of the rubber nanocomposites was also improved due to the addition of CTAB-PA-CeO2.

► Palygorskite fibers were coated with CeO2 nanoparticles and hydrophobized with CTAB.
► A particular network of the filler particles was formed in the rubber matrix.
► The filler particles increased the reinforcing effect.
► The thermal stability of the nanocomposites was slightly improved.