Influences of different dimensional carbon-based nanofillers on fracture and fatigue resistance of natural rubber composites

The dimensions of reinforcing filler is a key factor in influencing the fracture and fatigue of rubbers. Here, the fracture and fatigue resistance of natural rubber (NR) filled with different dimensional carbon-based fillers including zero-dimensional spherical carbon black (CB), one-dimensional fibrous carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and two-dimensional planar graphene oxide (GO) were explored. To obtain equal hardness, a control indicator in the rubber industry, the amounts of CB, CNTs, and GO were 10.7 vol%, 1.2 vol%, and 1.6 vol%, respectively. J-integral and dynamic fatigue tests revealed that NR filled with CB exhibited the best quasi-static fracture resistance and dynamic crack growth resistance. The much higher hysteresis loss of NR filled with CNTs weakened its fatigue resistance. The planar GO played a limited role in preventing crack growth. Furthermore, digital image correlation revealed that NR filled with CB had the highest strain amplification level and area at the crack tip, which dissipated the most local input energy and then improved the fracture and fatigue performance.