Ketjenblack-reinforced chloroprene rubber / brominated butyl rubber blends: A leap forward in Ozone and UV stability, Air Permeability, and Tribological performance

Elastomers are extensively used in engineering, but their properties suffer when they are exposed to heat, ozone, UV radiation, and toxic chemicals. To improve their performance for specific industrial applications, they are often blended with other materials. We blended chloroprene rubber with brominated butyl rubber and reinforced it with Ketjenblack (KB) in concentrations up to 20%. KB has a porous and fluffy morphology and a high specific surface area of 1347 m2/g. Tensile tests were conducted before and after exposure to UV, ozone, saline, petrol, and diesel environments, and their retention capacity was evaluated according to ASTM standards. Transmission electron microscopy revealed a uniform dispersion of KB filler. Tribological studies and barrier properties showed the best content of KB to be 10% because of its uniform dispersion. Thermal degradation kinetics were studied using Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose modelling to determine its activation energy. Dynamic mechanical analysis indicates a reduction of 5 °C in the glass transition for a 20% composite. These elastomeric blends can be considered cutting-edge materials with great potential for use in extremely harsh industrial applications.