Irradiation vulcanized styrene-butadiene rubber/nanoscale silica composites

This paper investigated the styrene butadiene rubber (SBR)/nanoscale silica (SiO2) composites vulcanized by electron-beam irradiation. Infrared spectra of the Si-O bond of SiO2 before and after irradiation were studied, and the infrared absorption peak of the Si-O bond of the electron beam irradiated SBR/SiO2 nanocomposites showed a blue shift of 20 cm−1 compared with that of SiO2 before irradiation, whereas the absorption intensity decreased, indicating a change of interaction occurring between SiO2 and SBR macromolecules. This paper also studied the effects of irradiation dose and SiO2 filler loading on crosslink density and some mechanical properties of the irradiated SBR/SiO2 composites. With the irradiation dose increasing, tear strength of the irradiated SBR/SiO2 composites increased while crosslink density and tensile strength increased whole in the range of 300 kGy. With SiO2 filler loading increasing, crosslink density, tensile strength and tear strength of the irradiated SBR/SiO2 composites increased.