A METHOD TO RESOLVE THE PROPERTIES OF INDIVIDUAL PHASES IN CARBON-BLACK-LOADED ELASTOMER BLENDS

This paper is the third in a series on the resolution of properties of individual phases in binary elastomer blends. The purpose of this paper is the discussion of a method which can be used to resolve the properties of individual phases in carbon-black-loaded elastomer blends. The method is demonstrated by reference to carbon-black-loaded NR and BR compounds, cured to tc90 at different levels of curatives, and to a 70/30 BR/NR blend thereof. Properties of the individual phases in a 70/30 carbon-black-loaded BR/NR blend could be successfully resolved using large deformation stress-strain modelling. In the demonstration example of this paper, there was evidence of a significant amount of curative migration between phases during the vulcanization process.