Preparation of carbon black/natural rubber latex masterbatch in bead form

Carbon black/natural rubber latex masterbatch in the form of spherical beads was prepared according to the acid-precipitation method. High-loading carbon black. (40 phr) was incorporated in natural rubber with the aid of a nonionic surfactant (Nonidet P40). Shearing the beads in an internal mixer provided good integration of carbon black in the rubber matrix and hence the high bound rubber content. Results confirmed the contribution of chemical interaction to the bound rubber content. By an oxidation process, the size of modified carbon black was reduced, whereas the large agglomeration took place in the case of partially graphitized carbon black. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.