Mechanical Properties of Acrylonitrile Functionalized Emulsion SBR/silica Compounds

Acrylonitrile was introduced in the emulsion SBR to increase compatibility between silica and rubber. AN-SBR/silica compounds showed faster vulcanization time and higher delta torque values than SBR 1721/silica compounds because interaction between nitrile group of AN-SBR and silanol group on the silica surface could make hydrogen bond that prevented adsorption of the accelerator on the silica surface, which improved the vulcanization reaction efficiency and enhanced the degree of crosslinking. AN-SBR/silica compound showed higher values in minimum torque than SBR 1721/silica compound during the vulcanization because AN-SBR has higher molecular weight than SBR 1721 in the raw material. When PEG was added to the SBR 1721 and AN-SBR compounds, vulcanization time was faster than SBR 1721 and AN-SBR compounds without PEG because PEG has a large number of ether linkages which show high compatibility with silanol group on the silica surface that prevented the adsorption of the accelerator and the ingredients on the silica surface, which improved the vulcanization reaction efficiency. In the mechanical properties, AN-SBR compounds showed higher modulus values at 100%, 300% than SBR 1721 compounds because interaction between nitrile group of AN-SBR and silanol group on the silica surface enhanced the degree of crosslinking. In the dynamic properties, AN-SBR compounds showed lower tan values at than SBR 1721 compounds in accordance with the values. AN-SBR compounds showed lower tan values at than SBR 1721 compounds because interaction between acrylonitrile and silica caused strong filler-rubber interaction that induced low energy dissipation by the filler-filler interaction.