Features of the Reinforcing Action of Carbon Blacks Deduced from the Tear Propagation of Filled Vulcanizates
Abstract 1. The reinforcing action of carbon blacks is most clearly apparent in the knotty tearing of carbon black rubbers. 2. Knotty tearing is characteristic of rubbers filled with carbon black in definite ranges of deformation and temperature, the position of which depends upon the type of rubber and carbon black. 3. With high contents of contact gas black in vulcanizates of sodium butadiene (SKB) and butadiene sytrene (SKS-30) rubbers two ranges of knotty tearing occur. The first is situated at relatively high temperatures and low rates and the second at relatively low temperatures and higher rates. Reduction in the content of black in these vulcanizates leads to the disappearance of the high temperature range of knotty tearing and the displacement of the low-temperature range towards higher temperatures and low rates. This position of the ranges (at medium rates and temperatures) is characteristic also of the said synthetic rubbers containing thermal black. 4. The first range of knotty tearing of filled SKB and SKS-30 vulcanizates with contact black is linked with the presence in them of carbon black chains, while the second range, existing also with vulcanizates with thermal black, is connected with the presence of carbon black particles. 5. Within the ranges ofr ates from 40 to 1000 mm/min and of temperatures from 40 to +100° C filled vulcanizates of natural rubber have one range of knotty tearing situated at lower rates. In the case of the presence in them of contact gas black the range is shifted towards higher rates than in the case of thermal black. 6. Increasing the length of the nick in testpieces being tested for tear propagation leads to a shift in the range of knotty tearing towards higher rates and widens it with respect to temperatures. This same effect is noted on altering the shape of the testpiece, starting with the Delft testpieces and proceeding to types A, B, and C, i.e. increasing the nonuniformity of stress distribution in the deformed testpieces.