Dynamic mechanical and rheological properties of nitrile rubber nanocomposites based on TiO₂, Ca₃(PO₄) ₂ and layered silicate

The viscoelastic properties such as damping behaviour, storage and loss modulus, etc. of polymer composites depend on matrix filler interaction, crystallinity and the extent of crosslinking. It was observed that the storage modulus of the composites increased with the addition of filler due to the enhancement in stiffness of the material. The damping behaviour was found to decrease as a function of filler loading and this was attributed to the restricted movement of the polymer segments. The higher surface area to volume ratio factor of the layered silicate resulted in the better interaction between the polymer matrix and the filler, which resulted in the change in glass transition temperature. The flow properties were studied with special reference to filler loading of different fillers at a specified temperature. It was observed that complex viscosity of filled systems is higher than that of unfilled system. Among the fillers, layered silicate filled systems showed higher viscosity in comparison with calcium phosphate and titanium dioxide fillers.