Enhancing barrier properties: Practical analysis of transport of solvents and gases in natural rubber/graphene oxide-silica core shell Hybrid Nanocomposites

This work investigates the comprehensive exploration of transport properties in natural rubber/graphene oxide-silica hybrid core-shell (NR/GSC) nanocomposites, focusing on diffusion, sorption behavior, swelling parameters, and gas permeability. The study evaluates the performance of the composite membranes concerning oxygen and nitrogen gas permeability (71.3% and 68.48% reduction, respectively). The experimental results reveal the sorption behavior, swelling parameters, and transport coefficients of NR/GSC composites, providing valuable insights into the material's behavior in different environments. Among various compositions, GSC10 stands out as the optimal composition, exhibiting superior diffusion and gas permeability behavior compared to other compositions. How the filler geometry and concentration are interconnected on the transport properties is carefully dissected, offering a deeper comprehension of the correlation between filler characteristics and composite performance. The study predicts that the Peppas-Sahlin model and Affine model for mole percentage solvent uptake and molecular mass between successive crosslinks, respectively, best fit experimental values. This work contributes to the growing knowledge in the field of nanocomposites, providing a meticulous perspective on the transport properties of NR/GSC membranes and emphasizing the superior performance of the GSC10 composition. Highlights: NR/GSC hybrid nanocomposites showed reduced solvent uptake. A 71.3% reduction in oxygen and 68.48% reduction in nitrogen permeation. Theoretically modeled using Peppas-Sahlin, Korsmeyer-Peppas, Nielsen and s GSC nanoparticles shows excellent dispersion in NR matrix Enhanced fuel efficiency and reduced environmental footprint in tire manufacturing technology.