Tailoring the mechanical and gas barrier properties of nanocomposites by incorporating a MWCNT/CuS hybrid nanofiller

The aim of the present study was to investigate the dispersion and reinforcement effect of a spherical copper sulphide nanoparticle-decorated MWCNT in the ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber. Moreover, the effect of the dispersion of the hybrid nanomaterial on the morphology, mechanical properties and gas transport behaviours of the ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber was investigated; the morphology and mechanical properties of the ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber were investigated as a function of the hybrid nanofiller loading. The behaviour of gas transport through the nanocomposites was investigated in detail as a function of hybrid nanofiller content for different gases. It was found that the mechanical and gas transport properties could be controlled by the dispersion of the hybrid nanofiller. The nanocomposites showed excellent mechanical properties such as highest tensile strength and tear strength values at higher filler loadings, confirming the presence of effective interactions and network formation in the rubber matrix. As a result, the transport of gas molecules through the nanocomposites follows a tortuous path, and the rate of permeation of the gas molecules is effectively hindered; the highest permeation rate of the carbon dioxide gas through the nanocomposites is due to its smaller kinetic diameter; finally, the rates of gas permeation have been compared with the theoretical predictions. The Bharadwaj model provided a better fitting with the experimentally obtained gas permeability values.