High Performance Graphene Oxide Based Rubber Composites

• Published in: Scientific reports 2013-08, Vol.3 (1), p.2508, Article 2508
• Main Authors: Mao, Yingyan, Wen, Shipeng, Chen, Yulong, Zhang, Fazhong, Panine, Pierre, Chan, Tung W., Zhang, Liqun, Liang, Yongri, Liu, Li
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 639/166/988; 639/301/357/918/1053; 639/638/455/957; 639/925/357/341; Black carbon; Butadienes - chemistry; Chemical industry; Coagulation; Elastic Modulus; Friction; Graphite - chemistry; Humanities and Social Sciences; Latex; Materials Testing; Mechanical properties; multidisciplinary; Oxides - chemistry; Porosity; Pyridines; Rubber; Rubber - chemistry; Science; Silica; Styrene; Tensile Strength
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/srep02508

In this paper, graphene oxide/styrene-butadiene rubber (GO/SBR) composites with complete exfoliation of GO sheets were prepared by aqueous-phase mixing of GO colloid with SBR latex and a small loading of butadiene-styrene-vinyl-pyridine rubber (VPR) latex, followed by their co-coagulation. During co-coagulation, VPR not only plays a key role in the prevention of aggregation of GO sheets but also acts as an interface-bridge between GO and SBR. The results demonstrated that the mechanical properties of the GO/SBR composite with 2.0 vol.% GO is comparable with those of the SBR composite reinforced with 13.1 vol.% of carbon black (CB), with a low mass density and a good gas barrier ability to boot. The present work also showed that GO-silica/SBR composite exhibited outstanding wear resistance and low-rolling resistance which make GO-silica/SBR very competitive for the green tire application, opening up enormous opportunities to prepare high performance rubber composites for future engineering applications.