THERMAL AGING PROPERTIES AND MOLECULAR TRANSPORT OF SOLVENTS THROUGH VULCANIZATES PREPARED FROM THIOGLYCOLLIC ACID MODIFIED EPOXIDIZED LOW MOLECULAR WEIGHT NATURAL RUBBER BLENDS FILLED WITH ADMIXTURES OF CARBON BLACK AND CARBONIZED RUBBER SEED SHELL

Physico-mechanical, aging, swelling, solubility, and permeability properties of blends of natural rubber (NR) and thioglycollic acid modified epoxidized low molecular weight natural rubber (TGA-ELMWNR) filled with admixtures of carbon black (CB) and carbonized rubber seed shell (CRSS) in ketones, alcohols, aldehydes, and petroleum fuels (petrol, kerosene, and diesel) were investigated as a function of different filler compositions. The physico-mechanical properties were found decreasing as the level of CRSS increases, but were within the accepted level for natural rubber compounds, showing that CRSS can find uses as fillers in materials of low tensile strength. The aging results of all the mixes were nearly of the same magnitude. The swelling and solubility results showed that ketones swell the vulcanizates more and faster than alcohols and aldehydes. The sorption, diffusion, and permeability of the blends as determined from the gravimetric method confirm the better resistance of blends with higher ratio of carbon black. Petrol was found diffusing through the vulcanizates faster than kerosene and faster than diesel. Above all, replacement of carbon black with 15% carbonized rubber seed shell has not shown any serious deleterious effects on the vulcanizates.