Investigation of cure behaviour and tensile properties of NR/SBR composite filled with carbon black and silica

The rubber blended composite of natural rubber (NR)/styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) with carbon black (CB)/silica (Si) as reinforcing material is the subject of this paper. It should be emphasized that the fillers utilized in this study were treated (silane coupling agent (bis[γ-triethoxysilylpropyl] disulfide (TESPD)) and untreated (raw fillers). The hybrid filler content is kept at 50 parts per hundred rubbers (phr). Following a tensile test to determine ultimate tensile strength, elongation at break, and 100% modulus (stress at 100% elongation), the prepared samples were examined for cure behavior and morphological investigation of the chosen NR/SBR combination at a fixed 50/50 ratio. With an increase in silica concentration, the optimal cure time, minimum torque, and maximum torque of hybrid filler including NR/SBR blend with and without TESPD were improved. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that adding a TESPD to NR/SBR composite blends enhances their tensile strength. The inclusion of TESPD improves the homogeneity of filler dispersion in SBR/NR matrix, according to scanning electron microscopic images of the tensile surface.