Filler—Elastomer Interactions. Part IX. Performance of Silicas in Polar Elastomers

Abstract

Abstract Inverse gas—solid chromatography of silicas showed that the free energies of adsorption of polar probes were much higher than those obtained with n-alkanes. This implies that polymer—silica interaction is more pronounced in polar rubbers than in nonpolar rubbers such as polybutadiene. Using a series of silica and carbon-black-loaded acrylonitnle—butadiene (NBR) compounds with different acrylonitrile (ACN) content, this paper shows the changes in viscoelastic properties of the silica compounds can be attributed to improved polymer—filler interactions relative to the interactions involved in carbon-black compounds.