Title: The effect of nanofiller on electrical and mechanical properties of silicone rubber

Authors: N. Gharavi, M. Razzaghi Kashani

Addresses: Polymer Engineering Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box 14115, Tehran, Iran. ' Polymer Engineering Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box 14115, Tehran, Iran

Abstract: Fillers are used to enhance both electrical and mechanical properties of room temperature vulcanised (RTV) silicone rubber. Montmorillonite organoclay, MMT, was used as reinforcing filler at various contents. The X-ray diffraction predicts acceptable dispersion of organoclay in the polymer matrix and SEM images shows fairly good dispersion of the filler. Mechanical tests revealed that tensile strength and elongation at break are enhanced with organoclay. Several nonlinear elastic models were employed to represent the mechanical behaviour of the silicone composites and the best model was selected for future analysis of the composites as electro-mechanical actuators. In addition, dielectric constants were measured and compared with reference sample; therefore the best sample having desirable mechanical and electrical properties was determined.

Keywords: nanocomposites; silicone rubber; organoclay; electromechanical properties; nanofillers; nanotechnology; actuators; tensile strength; elongation; nonlinear elastic modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNM.2010.033876

International Journal of Nanomanufacturing, 2010 Vol.5 No.3/4, pp.335 - 340

Published online: 02 Jul 2010 *

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