Quantifiable design of low heat build-up styrene-butadiene rubber composites enabled by latex-coated aramid pulp as a high-efficiency carbon black replacement

Rubber heat build-up represents a significant challenge in the development of green and environmentally friendly tires. This study employed natural rubber latex (NRL) to coat aramid pulp (AP), constructing an AP-styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) flexible interface layer. The effects of different AP contents replacing carbon black (CB) on the mechanical properties and heat build-up of rubber were systematically investigated, and the pivotal role of the modified AP content in reducing the heat build-up of SBR composites was explored. Additionally, based on replacement efficiency and heat build-up effect, the parameter of Replacement-Temperature efficiency (RT ef ) was proposed. The optimal AP content was determined to be 2.38 phr with the highest RT ef value, which replaced 6.55 phr of CB, reducing the heat build-up temperature from 47.6 ℃ to a minimum of 37.9 ℃. This concept provides a quantifiable basis for designing and optimizing preparation of rubber composites, thereby offering a novel strategy for developing energy efficient and durable tires materials.