Elastomer/LDH nanocomposites: Synthesis and studies on nanoparticle dispersion, mechanical properties and interfacial adhesion

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) based elastomer nanocomposites have been synthesized and characterized in terms of nanoparticle dispersion, mechanical properties and interfacial adhesion. Since LDH has basic hydroxyl groups on its surface, its potential as reinforcing filler in elastomers and in additionally a crosslinking agent in carboxylated elastomers has been investigated in details. For this purpose, two different elastomers having widely different polarities and functional groups (e.g., ethylene propylene diene terpolymer, i.e. EPDM and carboxylated nitrile rubber, i.e. XNBR) have been used as the matrix. The pristine LDH based on Mg and Al was modified with decane sulfonate by the regeneration method. The morphological analysis of the nanocomposites (done by X-ray diffraction analysis and electron microscopy) shows that in both matrices LDH particles are dispersed in three different forms, i.e. as primary particles, as exfoliated layers and as soft clusters formed by both of them. However, their relative proportion differs drastically in the two matrices. We have shown in this study that the LDH can significantly improve the mechanical properties in both the system. In XNBR/LDH nanocomposites containing no conventional metal oxide curative, this improvement is very prominent due to secondary interaction between LDH and XNBR matrix indicating that LDH can crosslink carboxalated elastomers. It is also observed that LDH particle promotes strain-induced crystallization in XNBR/LDH. The fracture surface analysis shows that in XNBR/LDH nanocomposite very stable polymer–filler interface is formed and tensile failure takes place through the matrix rather than through the interface. In case of EPDM/LDH nanocomposites the opposite is observed and the polymer matrix hardly wets the surface of the LDH particle.