Thermal and fatigue failure properties of graphene oxide/acrylonitrile butadiene rubber composites: New perspectives on the role of interface and interphase

Abstract Damages originating from self‐generated heat in rubbers with low thermal conductivity properties constitute a major share of failure in many rubber applications. There are still contradictory results concerning the direction through which the nanoscale phenomena including the interface strength, the interphase as a layer with slowed‐down dynamics, and the filler dispersion contribute to the thermal conductivity of nanocomposites. Thermal failure properties depend on the net effect of the interfacial phenomena on the thermal accumulation and conductivity. Two grades of NBR (Acrylonitrile–Butadiene Rubber) having various levels of Acrylonitrile (ACN) content were reinforced with Graphene oxide (GO) at low (0.5) and high (3) parts per hundred rubber (phr) to create the diverse range of polymer–filler and filler–filler interactions. Thermodynamically‐based indicators relying on the surface energy of the components were employed in conjunction with the experimental means (scanning electron microscopy) to quantify the degree of interface strength, the interphase, and the dispersion quality. Measuring the thermal conductivity properties of the prepared samples, it was found that NBR40 containing 3 phr of GO, while presenting the highest volume of interphase and interface strength, shows the maximum thermal accumulation. It was found that interphase had no negative effect on thermal conductivity, and thus NBR40 also exhibited maximum thermal conductivity. The combinatory effect of thermal accumulation and conductivity on failure was further monitored by performing a high‐frequency fatigue crack growth experiment. Highlights Evaluating role of interfacial phenomena on the thermal and fatigue failure Quantifying the degree of interface strength, the interphase and the dispersion Formation of interphase had no negative impact on the thermal conductivity Stiffness of interphase layer was found to be the cause of better conductivity Filler volume effects had a priority role on conductivity than surface effects