NanoRub

Customised Nanocomposites Based on Rubber Matrices for High-Demand Applications

 

Nanorub aimed to develop an industrial technology for the production of nanoclay-based (montmorillonite) rubber composites through the following steps:

• Development of a production-exfoliation process for montmorillonite, based on organoammonium or phosphonium salts, with the organic moiety being as compatible as possible with the rubber matrix;
• Surface treatment of the nanoparticles to impede clustering and to promote adhesion with the rubber matrix, using peroxidic macroradicals, functionalised liquid rubber and organosilanes;
• Optimisation of the formulation, processing and vulcanisation conditions, in order to obtain a nanoclay-rubber composite material with at least three times better abrasion resistance, 50 % improved stiffness, 30 % improved strength and 20 % delayed ignition with respect to the equivalent reference non-nanoclay reinforced product. The price should not exceed the reference by more than 40%;
• Use of the developed materials in the production of prototypes of improved moulded parts, rubber bearings, rubber cords and conveyor belts.

Organisational Information

Budget: €1.27M
Funding: €710k
Start date: September 2005
Finish Date: February 2008
Duration (in months): 30
Lead Partner (Co-ordinator): Fundación l’Urederra, Spain

Participants

CMP, Spain
Herdit, Spain
Icon SILENTBLOC UK, UK
PCT, Latvia
Polycomp, Netherlands
Polymer Labs, UK
Santochemia, Poland
Smithers Rapra, UK
Stochem, Poland
Stomil, Poland
Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy

 

Results – What happened next?

 

The four rubber product manufacturers within the project, Caucho Metal Productos S.L. (Spain), Icon SILENTBLOC (United Kingdom), Stochem (Poland) and Santochemia (Poland) have undertaken a thorough analysis of their rubber materials or components that could be advantageously replaced by nanorubber composites. The selection of products consisted of a range of polymer types. The products selected by both CMP and Icon SILENTBLOC are based on natural rubber, as is the standard reference compound. The other two producers chose different rubber types, which include styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) and SBR/nitrile-butadiene (NBR) blends respectively, as their first choice products. The second choice pro ducts included NBR and chloroprene (CR)/polybutadiene (BR) blends. The selection therefore covered a broad range of rubber types, which was taken into account in the work being carried out on compatibilisation of nanofiller with polymer.

In parallel, scientific work was done by the RTD performers to select suitable montmorillonite nanofillers and characterise their behaviour under different process parameters. Moreover, laboratory tests were performed to verify the resulting chemical and mechanical properties of the materials produced with different parameters. Specifications, including technical and processing requirements and economic constraints, that need to be fulfilled by the rubber components manufactured from nanorubber compounds, have been clearly defined.