Effect of gamma irradiation on the properties of short glass fibre-reinforced elastomers based on nitrile butadiene rubber and devulcanised waste rubber

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In this article waste rubber powder (WR) was converted into devulcanised waste rubber (DWR) by mechanochemical method through internal mixer in the presence of various ratios of chemical curatives. The prepared DWR and Acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) were mixed using roll mill at the ratio (70 NBR/ 30 DWR) with various glass fibre (GF) contents. The composites were irradiated with gamma radiation doses of 50–200 kGy. Different properties of the synthesised unirradiated and irradiated composites such as tensile strength, elongation at break, hardness, swelling behaviour in motor and brake oils and thermal stability were investigated with respect to the GF contents. The incorporation of the GF resulted in an overall improvement in the thermal stability of the developed blend. Similarly, the elastic modulus, tensile strength, hardness (Shore A) were improved with gamma irradiation treatment.