Mechanical and rheological properties of poly(butadiene‐acrylonitrile) rubber compounds reinforced with cellulosic material

The usefulness of waste (mainly cellulosic) materials as a reinforcement for acrylonitrile‐butadiene rubber (NBR) compounds is shown in this work. The materials tested are: henequen, pine, coconut, sugarcane husks, lignin, and wood sawdust. Their performance is compared with that of commercial reinforcement materials (santocel and solka), using the same copolymer composition without reinforcement as a reference compound. Uniform particle size is achieved by milling and screening. For some of the materials, 6 mm fibers and polymerfiber coupling agent are also tested. Reinforced copolymer formulations are prepared by milling. Optimum curing times are determined with a torsion rheometer. Mechanical and rheological tests (stress‐strain behavior, tear resistance, hardness, interfacial strength, storage modulus, and loss tangent), show promising results for some materials, especially when looking for a reinforced product with low dissipation energy.