Synthesis of Mineral Nanofiller using Solution Spray Method and its Influence on Mechanical and Thermal Properties of EPDM Nanocomposites

Abstract

Calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) nanoparticles were synthesized by solution spray of CaCl₂ and NH₄HCO₃ with sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) as a stabilizing agent. Synthesized nano-CaCO₃ of 20 nm and commercial CaCO₃ (40 mircron) were reinforced in EPDM rubber composites of by varying 2–10 wt% of loading. The rubber nanocomposites were prepared on two roll mill and molded on compression molding machine and were subjected to characterizations like mechanical and thermal. The results were then compared with fly ash (10–60 wt%) filled EPDM rubber composites. It was found that with increase in wt% of nano-CaCO₃ loadings the mechanical and thermal properties of EPDM rubber nanocomposites increases drastically. Improvements in properties were due to uniform dispersion of nano-CaCO₃ into the rubber chain. It means that nano-CaCO₃ gets exfoliated within the rubber chains uniformly. It is also due to fine size of nano-CaCO₃ (20 nm) with uniform transfer of heat during vulcanization, which keeps the rubber chains intact on cross-linking. Results of commercial CaCO₃ and fly ash filled EPDM composites were found to be very inferior over nano-CaCO₃ filled EPDM rubber nanocomposites even though the amount of loading nanofiller was less (2–10 wt% of loading) compared to fly ash of 75 micron (10–60 wt%).

Keywords:

• Mechanical properties
• Nanocomposites
• Nanoparticles
• TEM
• Thermal properties

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The authors are thankful to Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (New Delhi, India); for financial assistance to carry out this research work (contract grant number: 01(2018)/05/EMR-II)