EFFECTS OF METAL OXIDES NANOPARTICLE FILLERS ON ETHYLENE-PROPYLENE-DIENE RUBBER (EPDM) PROPERTIES

Abstract

The present work is concerned with improving the mechanical properties and thermal stability of Ethylene propylene diene monomer EPDM by using metal oxide nanofillers. Metal oxide nanoparticles (nMO) such as (nCuO), (nFe2O3), (nZnO) and (nNiO) (size 50–100 nm) are synthesized by Sol-Gel technique and characterized. The effect of incorporating nMO, as nanofillers on the curing vulcanization behavior, morphology, mechanical properties, swelling and thermal properties of ethylene-propylene-diene EPDM elastomer compound is studied. The obtained results of the new composite were compared with ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) elastomer filled by conventional metal oxide (cMO) such as (cFe2O3, cNiO, cZnO, cCuO).

(Key Words: Metal oxides; Nanoparticles; Fillers; EPDM )