Curing characteristics, tensile properties and morphology of palm ash/halloysite nanotubes/ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) hybrid composites

Palm Ash (PA)/Halloysite Nanotubes (HNTs)/Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Monomer (EPDM) hybrid composites were prepared by incorporation of hybrid nanotubes into EPDM rubber matrix on a laboratory size two-roll mill. The effects of palm ash/halloysite nanotube weight ratio on the curing characteristics, tensile properties and morphology of the hybrid composites were studied. Curing time (t90), scorch time (t2), maximum torque, tensile strength and tensile modulus (M100 and M300) were increased whereas elongation at break was decreased with increasing halloysite nanotube content. Morphological studies of tensile fracture surfaces of PA/HNTs/EPDM hybrid composites indicated that HNTs has better adhesion to the EPDM matrix as compared to palm ash.