Chapter 5
Reinforcing Mechanism of Rubber
by Nanofiller
Abstract CB is highlighted for the reinforcement of NR. Firstly, some historical
considerations on the rubber reinforcement by nanofillers are given. Secondly, the
most recent relevant studies on the aggregation of CB were critically reviewed, and
the semiflexible CB network structure in the rubber matrix is proposed, which has
unified the traditional ideas on bound rubber and structuring or clustering of CB. This
CB network has maintained a little flexibility due to the presence of 3 nm rubber
layer (intrinsic bound rubber) between the primary CB aggregates, which are rigid.
Thirdly, our semiflexible CB network model is applied to explain a mechanical property of CB-loaded rubber vulcanizates, and the crucial utility of the CB structuring
involving bound rubber is concluded. In other words, rubber reinforcement is due
to a cooperation of the bound rubber absorbed on the nanofiller surface (wetting by
rubber, due to rubber-to-filler interaction) and the 3D clustering ability of nanofillers
(filler-to-filler interaction) even overcoming the wetting by rubber, suggesting a feature of nanoparticles in general. Nanofiller network formed by intermediation of
bound rubber is certainly the most important result obtained by 3D-TEM studies on
rubber reinforcement by nanofillers.
Keywords Nanofiller · 3D-TEM · Bound rubber · Semiflexible CB network ·
Mechanical property
5.1 Introduction
In this chapter, carbon black (CB) is highlighted as a representative nanofiller for
rubber reinforcement, including natural rubber (NR). Firstly, at Sects. 5.2 and 5.3,
some historical considerations on the rubber reinforcement by fillers are given. Secondly, at Sect. 5.4, the státus quó is given, i.e., the semiflexible CB network formation
on the basis of our 3D-TEM study of the CB aggregates and the agglomerate. It has
unified and integrated the bound rubber formation and the structuring or clustering
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this chapter
(https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-3789-9_5) contains supplementary material, which is
available to authorized users.
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
S. Kohjiya et al., Reinforcement of Rubber, Springer Series on Polymer
and Composite Materials, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-3789-9_5
83
Reinforcing Mechanism of Rubber
by Nanofiller
Abstract CB is highlighted for the reinforcement of NR. Firstly, some historical
considerations on the rubber reinforcement by nanofillers are given. Secondly, the
most recent relevant studies on the aggregation of CB were critically reviewed, and
the semiflexible CB network structure in the rubber matrix is proposed, which has
unified the traditional ideas on bound rubber and structuring or clustering of CB. This
CB network has maintained a little flexibility due to the presence of 3 nm rubber
layer (intrinsic bound rubber) between the primary CB aggregates, which are rigid.
Thirdly, our semiflexible CB network model is applied to explain a mechanical property of CB-loaded rubber vulcanizates, and the crucial utility of the CB structuring
involving bound rubber is concluded. In other words, rubber reinforcement is due
to a cooperation of the bound rubber absorbed on the nanofiller surface (wetting by
rubber, due to rubber-to-filler interaction) and the 3D clustering ability of nanofillers
(filler-to-filler interaction) even overcoming the wetting by rubber, suggesting a feature of nanoparticles in general. Nanofiller network formed by intermediation of
bound rubber is certainly the most important result obtained by 3D-TEM studies on
rubber reinforcement by nanofillers.
Keywords Nanofiller · 3D-TEM · Bound rubber · Semiflexible CB network ·
Mechanical property
5.1 Introduction
In this chapter, carbon black (CB) is highlighted as a representative nanofiller for
rubber reinforcement, including natural rubber (NR). Firstly, at Sects. 5.2 and 5.3,
some historical considerations on the rubber reinforcement by fillers are given. Secondly, at Sect. 5.4, the státus quó is given, i.e., the semiflexible CB network formation
on the basis of our 3D-TEM study of the CB aggregates and the agglomerate. It has
unified and integrated the bound rubber formation and the structuring or clustering
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this chapter
(https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-3789-9_5) contains supplementary material, which is
available to authorized users.
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
S. Kohjiya et al., Reinforcement of Rubber, Springer Series on Polymer
and Composite Materials, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-3789-9_5
83