A novel carbon nanotubes doped natural rubber nanocomposite with balanced dynamic shear properties and energy dissipation for wave energy applications

Mechanical characterizations of natural rubber filled with carbon-based nanomaterials were extensively studied in tensile and tear modes whereas fewer attempts have been conducted on a dynamic shear condition using a double-bonded shear test piece. This is of importance since natural rubbers are wid...

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Main Authors: Ali Esmaeili, Ian Masters, Mokarram Hossain
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2023-03-01
Series:Results in Materials
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590048X22001066
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author Ali Esmaeili
Ian Masters
Mokarram Hossain
author_facet Ali Esmaeili
Ian Masters
Mokarram Hossain
author_sort Ali Esmaeili
collection DOAJ
description Mechanical characterizations of natural rubber filled with carbon-based nanomaterials were extensively studied in tensile and tear modes whereas fewer attempts have been conducted on a dynamic shear condition using a double-bonded shear test piece. This is of importance since natural rubbers are widely used as flexible membranes for wave energy harvesting devices. Therefore, this study was aimed to explore the microstructural, rheological, and dynamic viscoelastic characteristics of natural rubbers filled with different Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) contents. A combined compounding approach was employed to ensure a homogenous CNT dispersion was achieved. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was performed for the materials characterization while the processability and curing parameters of the compounds were investigated using the Mooney viscosity and rheometry test. Dynamic shear properties were compared using a cyclic test performed on a double-bonded shear test piece. TEM images showed that an optimum CNTs dispersion was reached at 3 phr MWCNTs loading whereas increasing CNT content resulted in further inhomogeneity. The addition of CNTs into the natural rubber not only improved the curing properties of the compound, i.e., low scorch and curing times, but it also increased the Mooney viscosity, the rheological properties, and the dynamic shear properties of the nanocomposite compared to the pristine rubber. The Payne and Mullins effects were also observed for all compounds manifesting dependency on the CNTs content and applied strain amplitude. Finally, MWCNT enhanced the dissipated energy of the nanocomposites with respect to the neat rubber in which an increase of 1040 % in energy dissipation for 10 phr MWCNTs compared to the control at a strain amplitude of 200 % was achieved.
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spelling doaj.art-17e988693ba64c89b785bac6976129112023-03-13T04:16:01ZengElsevierResults in Materials2590-048X2023-03-0117100358A novel carbon nanotubes doped natural rubber nanocomposite with balanced dynamic shear properties and energy dissipation for wave energy applicationsAli Esmaeili0Ian Masters1Mokarram Hossain2Zienkiewicz Centre for Computational Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University, SA1 8EN, United KingdomZienkiewicz Centre for Computational Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University, SA1 8EN, United KingdomCorresponding author.; Zienkiewicz Centre for Computational Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University, SA1 8EN, United KingdomMechanical characterizations of natural rubber filled with carbon-based nanomaterials were extensively studied in tensile and tear modes whereas fewer attempts have been conducted on a dynamic shear condition using a double-bonded shear test piece. This is of importance since natural rubbers are widely used as flexible membranes for wave energy harvesting devices. Therefore, this study was aimed to explore the microstructural, rheological, and dynamic viscoelastic characteristics of natural rubbers filled with different Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) contents. A combined compounding approach was employed to ensure a homogenous CNT dispersion was achieved. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was performed for the materials characterization while the processability and curing parameters of the compounds were investigated using the Mooney viscosity and rheometry test. Dynamic shear properties were compared using a cyclic test performed on a double-bonded shear test piece. TEM images showed that an optimum CNTs dispersion was reached at 3 phr MWCNTs loading whereas increasing CNT content resulted in further inhomogeneity. The addition of CNTs into the natural rubber not only improved the curing properties of the compound, i.e., low scorch and curing times, but it also increased the Mooney viscosity, the rheological properties, and the dynamic shear properties of the nanocomposite compared to the pristine rubber. The Payne and Mullins effects were also observed for all compounds manifesting dependency on the CNTs content and applied strain amplitude. Finally, MWCNT enhanced the dissipated energy of the nanocomposites with respect to the neat rubber in which an increase of 1040 % in energy dissipation for 10 phr MWCNTs compared to the control at a strain amplitude of 200 % was achieved.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590048X22001066Natural rubberCNTsShear testPayne effectMullins effectHysteresis loss
spellingShingle Ali Esmaeili
Ian Masters
Mokarram Hossain
A novel carbon nanotubes doped natural rubber nanocomposite with balanced dynamic shear properties and energy dissipation for wave energy applications
Results in Materials
Natural rubber
CNTs
Shear test
Payne effect
Mullins effect
Hysteresis loss
title A novel carbon nanotubes doped natural rubber nanocomposite with balanced dynamic shear properties and energy dissipation for wave energy applications
title_full A novel carbon nanotubes doped natural rubber nanocomposite with balanced dynamic shear properties and energy dissipation for wave energy applications
title_fullStr A novel carbon nanotubes doped natural rubber nanocomposite with balanced dynamic shear properties and energy dissipation for wave energy applications
title_full_unstemmed A novel carbon nanotubes doped natural rubber nanocomposite with balanced dynamic shear properties and energy dissipation for wave energy applications
title_short A novel carbon nanotubes doped natural rubber nanocomposite with balanced dynamic shear properties and energy dissipation for wave energy applications
title_sort novel carbon nanotubes doped natural rubber nanocomposite with balanced dynamic shear properties and energy dissipation for wave energy applications
topic Natural rubber
CNTs
Shear test
Payne effect
Mullins effect
Hysteresis loss
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590048X22001066
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