Use of purified adsorbent derived from sunflower oil production as a biofiller for elastomeric compositions for the manufacture of rubber products

The article presents the results of a study on the use of a two-stage purified diatomite-based adsorbent derived from sunflower oil production (AS-SOpur2) as a biofiller for elastomeric compositions based on carbon-chain diene rubbers intended for the manufacture of rubber products. It has been established that the introduction of a biofiller increases the plasticity of rubber compounds, i.e., improves their processability compared to compositions filled with kaolin, which contributes to a reduction in energy costs at the mixing and processing stages. It has been shown that AS-SOpur2 has an intensifying and anti-reversion effect on the sulfur vulcanization process: the time to reach the vulcanization optimum is reduced, the cross-linking rate and the apparent rate constant increase, and the vulcanization plateau expands. It has been established that rubbers with AS-SOpur2 are characterized by a more stable complex of physical and mechanical properties both under normal conditions and after various types of aging. The results obtained indicate that the diatomaceous adsorbent purified using a two-stage scheme can effectively replace kaolin as a functional biofiller. The use of AS-SOpur2 is promising in view of the environmental, resource-saving, and economic feasibility of using secondary raw materials in elastomeric compositions.