Effect of fillers on natural rubber/high styrene rubber blends with nano silica: Morphology and wear

The blends of high styrene rubber (HSR) and natural rubber (NR) with nano silica were prepared using a blending technique in presence of different types of carbon black. The effect of filler on morphological and wear characteristics was studied. ISAF (Intermediate Super Abrasion Furnace) type of carbon black have showed a significant effect on optimum cure time, cure rate index and mechanical properties by reacting at the interface between HSR and NR matrix. All the samples show only one melting peak on the DSC curve; this is attributed to the same backbone structure of the matrix and the carbon black reinforcement. The samples containing 30 wt.% of HSR with ISAF type of carbon black has shown maximum heat buildup, lower swelling and lower compression set value. Blends containing ISAF type of carbon black with 30 wt.% of HSR showed high abrasion resistant properties against Du-Pont abrader, DIN abrader and different mining rock surfaces and also is found to be the toughest rubber against all types of rock. Coal is main abrader against the rubber under this study.