Elastomers fillers, reinforcement, composites

The term s plastic, polymer, resin, elastomer, and reinforced plastic (RP) are some-what synonymous. However, polymer and resin usually denote the basic material. Whereas plastic pertains to polymers or resins containing additives, fillers, and/or reinforcements. Recognize that practically all materials worldwide contain some type of additive or ingredient. An elastomer is a rubberlike material (natural or synthetic). Reinforced plastics (also called composites although to be more accurate called plastic composites) are plastics with reinforcing additives, such as fibers and whiskers, added principally to increase the product s mechanical properties. 

Most elastomers require reinforcing fillers to function effectively, and NMR has been used to characterize the structures of such composites as well. Examples are the adsorption of chains onto filler surfaces [275], the immobilization of these chains into "bound rubber" [276], and the imaging of the filler itself [277]. 

The coverage of the filler with an elastomer layer has been studied mostly in PP composites, but occasionally in other polymers as well. PP has a poor low temperature impact strength, which is frequently improved by the introduction of elastomers [107]. Improvement in impact strength, however, is accompanied by a simultaneous decrease of modulus, which cannot be accepted in certain applications a filler or reinforcement is added to compensate the effect. Although most of the papers dealing with these materials agree that the simultaneous introduction of the two different types of material (elastomer, filler) is beneficial. 

For the preparation of filler reinforced elastomer composites, most frequently commercial rubber grades with variable microstructure and broad molar mass distribution are applied. The typical rubber grades, considered in the present review, are as follows ... 

The materials being reviewed in this book, as in the industry, are identified by different terms such as polymer, plastic, resin, elastomer, reinforced plastic (RP), and composite unreinforced or reinforced plastic. They are somewhat synonymous. Polymers, the basic ingredients in plastics, can be defined as high molecular weight organic chemical compounds, synthetic or natural substances consisting of molecules. Practically all of these polymers are compounded with other products (additives, fillers, reinforcements, etc.) to provide many different properties and/or processing capabilities. Thus plastics is the correct technical term to use except in very few applications where only the polymer is used to fabricate products. 

This year s U.S. production of thermoplastics, thermosets, and synthetic rubber is expected to be 29 billion pounds. About 80% of this is based on only a few common monomers. To improve performance, the polymer industry rarely changes to a new, probably more expensive polymer, but instead it shifts from mere homopolymers to copolymers, polyblends, or composites. These three types of multicomponent polymer systems are closely inter-related. They are intended to toughen brittle polymers with elastomers, to reinforce rubbers with active fillers, or to strengthen or stiffen plastics with fibers or minerals. 

Moreover, the term filler is more or less inadequate, because the particulate solid is not used to till a void that is, to diminish the cost of the elastomeric product. Indeed, elastomer and reinforcing filler should be considered as two inseparable parts of equal merit in the composite. As expressed nicely by Papirer, carbon black and polymer is the wedding of the century. ... 

Nonlinear Viscoelasticity of One Dimensional Filler Reinforced Elastomer Composites... 

DSC scans of the elastomer and its composites exhibit glass transition temperature (Tg), melting point and crystallinity. Melting temperature and Tg have not been affected either in presence of conventional filler or nanofillers while heat of fusion or crystallinity considerably decrease in CNT reinforced NR nanocomposite due to interaction between CNTs and rubber matrix [89]. On the other hand, poly... 

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