Comparison the Effect of OPS vs. MWCNT on Mechanical and Ablation Behavior of EPDM Nanocomposites

One of the most efficient high-temperature thermal elastomeric nanocomposites is based on ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM), which has excellent mechanical-thermal properties and ablative resistance. In this study, EPDM nanocomposites were prepared using two-roll mixing mill. The changes of mechanical properties and ablation performance of nanocomposites containing two different fillers of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and octaphenyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (OPS) in various concentrations were investigated. The addition of MWCNTs to the EPDM polymeric matrix improved the tensile strength, elongation rate at the break, hardness and mass ablation rate (MAR). The lowest value of MAR was observed in the amount of 20 phr of MWCNTs. However, the sample containing the optimal concentration of OPS (5 phr) significantly decreased the peak of the backface temperature elvolution (BTE) down to 60.04 °C in oxyacetylen torch test.