Scanning electron microscopy studies on tensile failure of polyethylene‐filled natural rubber vulcanizates

The tensile properties of high-density polyethylene (HDPE)-filled natural rubber (NR) vulcanizates have been studied. It was found that HDPE was incompatible with NR and lower loadings of HDPE had no influence on the tensile strength of the vulcanizate. At higher loadings of HDPE, the size and shape of HDPE domains in the vulcanizate changed and the tensile strength of the vulcanizate decreased. Fracture surface studies using scanning electron microscope were carried out to correlate the test results with tensile properties.