NR/carbon black masterbatch produced with continuous liquid phase mixinG

The first filler-NR master-batch made with a continuous liquid mixing process is described. The master-batch is produced by fast mixing and mechanical coagulation of polymer with filler, and with very short exposure to high temperature. This achieves excellent performance for the material such as (i) polymer-filler interaction is well preserved, (ii) polymer degradation is essentially eliminated,(iii) superior filler dispersion independent of filler morphology, (iv) simplified mixing with low energy consumption, (v) dust-free operations. The technology enables a wide range of carbon blacks to be used in rubber. Significant improvements in vulcanizate properties are achieved including reduced hysteresis, improved cut-chip resistance and flex-fatigue life and increased abrasion resistance at high filler loading, compared with their dry-mixed counterparts.