The tyre tread compound for passenger car tyres is a blend of natural rubber
(NR), styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), polybutadiene rubber (BR) and synthetic
polyisoprene (IR). It is designed to have high abrasion resistance and traction,
low rolling resistance and long durability in service. To achieve these
requirements, reinforcing fillers such as colloidal carbon blacks and synthetic
silicas are added to raw rubbers. Reinforcing fillers helps to increase the
properties mentioned above and also hardness, tensile properties and tear
strength. In recent years, silica has been replacing carbon black in industrial
rubber articles, for example passenger car tyres, offering significant benefits.
Some studies have shown that using silicas in rubber compounds can reduce the
excessive use of the curing chemicals without compromising the mechanical
properties of rubber vulcanisates, which are essential for long service life.
In this study, effects of 60 parts per hundred rubber by weight (phr) precipitated
amorphous white silica nanofiller on the viscosity, curing, mechanical and
dynamic properties of NR, SBR, BR and IR rubber compounds were
investigated. [Continues.
