Natural rubber (NR) composites were prepared by incorporating rubberwood fibres at different loadings into the NR matrix in a mixing mill according to a base formulation. Tensile properties, swelling measurement and tensile fracture surfaces of gum and composites with 0, 10, 20, 30 and 50 phr of rubberwood fibres were studied. Incorporation of rubberwood fibres in the composites increases the tensile modulus but reduces the tensile strength and elongation at break. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies and swelling measurement indicate that the increasing rubberwood loading has weakened the rubber-filler interactions.
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Ismail et al. (1998) studied this question.