Effect of irradiation temperatures on nitrile rubber nanocomposites

AbstractModification of polymers by radiation is a relatively new technology to develop polymer materials with superior properties. The concept of irradiation at elevated temperatures is used to study the effect of nanoclay in nitrile and hydrogenated nitrile matrixes prepared by melt mixing. X-ray diffraction (XRD), morphology studies, gel fraction analysis, dynamic mechanical analysis, thermal analysis, thermogravimetric analysis and mechanical properties are carried out. It is inferred from XRD studies that the d spacing is incremented more for low levels of clay concentration, and good intercalation and slight tendency to exfoliate are also seen with 1 phr of nanoclay. Transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy images predicts that there exists good dispersion in the case of nitrile rubber composites due to its low Mooney viscosity and particle size ranges from 20 to 80 nm. Due to the addition of a reinforcing nanoclay, the thermal stability and mechanical properties are also improve...