TY - JOUR
T1 - Enhanced performance of bio-based epoxidized natural rubber nanocomposites in high-performance green tires via interface modification
AU - Li, Yanguo
AU - Wang, Zixuan
AU - Song, Han
AU - Wang, Ruoyu
AU - Zhang, Xi
AU - Yuan, Qipeng
AU - Song, Weixiao
AU - Wu, Xiaohui
AU - Hu, Guo hua
AU - Zhang, Liqun
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025
PY - 2025/6
Y1 - 2025/6
N2 - Epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) is a high-performance, bio-based material derived from the epoxidation of natural rubber (NR). In the tire industry, using ENR and NR as matrix materials is an important method to fabricate high-performance bio-based tires. However, due to the significant polarity difference between ENR and NR, the dispersion of silica within the rubber matrix leads to a distinct phase separation structure. In this study, the interface pre-modification method by silane coupling agents Bis[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl] disulfide (TESPD) and 3-(Methacryloyloxy)propyltrimethoxy-silane (KH580) has successfully solved this problem. The results showed that TESPD and KH580 successfully grafted onto the surface of silica through chemical bonding, significantly reducing the specific surface area and silanol group content of the silica. Subsequently, a series of ENR/NR/silica and solution polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber (SSBR)/NR/silica nanocomposites were synthesized. Compared to petroleum-based SSBR, the ENR/NR/silica nanocomposites exhibited superior filler dispersion and dynamic and static mechanical properties due to the chemical bonding between the epoxy groups and silanol groups. Owing to the enhanced modification effect of the pre-modification process on the silica, the ENR/NR/KH580-modified-silica nanocomposites exhibit superior overall performance, showing an increase of 29.3 % and 53.2 % in tensile strength and anti-wet performance, respectively, compared to SSBR/NR nanocomposites. In addition, the dispersion mechanism of silica with different modification method in the ENR and NR phases was elucidated through the innovative use of AFM-nano-IR. Compared to TESPD-modified-silica, KH580-modified-silica can form a coupling bridge structure between the ENR and NR phases through the thiol groups, epoxy groups and silanol groups, which significantly modified the phase separation structure and consequently endowed the material with the best comprehensive performance.
AB - Epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) is a high-performance, bio-based material derived from the epoxidation of natural rubber (NR). In the tire industry, using ENR and NR as matrix materials is an important method to fabricate high-performance bio-based tires. However, due to the significant polarity difference between ENR and NR, the dispersion of silica within the rubber matrix leads to a distinct phase separation structure. In this study, the interface pre-modification method by silane coupling agents Bis[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl] disulfide (TESPD) and 3-(Methacryloyloxy)propyltrimethoxy-silane (KH580) has successfully solved this problem. The results showed that TESPD and KH580 successfully grafted onto the surface of silica through chemical bonding, significantly reducing the specific surface area and silanol group content of the silica. Subsequently, a series of ENR/NR/silica and solution polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber (SSBR)/NR/silica nanocomposites were synthesized. Compared to petroleum-based SSBR, the ENR/NR/silica nanocomposites exhibited superior filler dispersion and dynamic and static mechanical properties due to the chemical bonding between the epoxy groups and silanol groups. Owing to the enhanced modification effect of the pre-modification process on the silica, the ENR/NR/KH580-modified-silica nanocomposites exhibit superior overall performance, showing an increase of 29.3 % and 53.2 % in tensile strength and anti-wet performance, respectively, compared to SSBR/NR nanocomposites. In addition, the dispersion mechanism of silica with different modification method in the ENR and NR phases was elucidated through the innovative use of AFM-nano-IR. Compared to TESPD-modified-silica, KH580-modified-silica can form a coupling bridge structure between the ENR and NR phases through the thiol groups, epoxy groups and silanol groups, which significantly modified the phase separation structure and consequently endowed the material with the best comprehensive performance.
KW - Epoxidized natural rubber
KW - High-performance nanocomposite
KW - Modified-silica
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105001719400
U2 - 10.1016/j.coco.2025.102356
DO - 10.1016/j.coco.2025.102356
M3 - 文章
AN - SCOPUS:105001719400
SN - 2452-2139
VL - 56
JO - Composites Communications
JF - Composites Communications
M1 - 102356
ER -