Reinforcing filler concepts

To adapt the property profiles of elastomer materials, especially of materials for car tires with respect to the requirements of energy efficiency, adhesion and expanded live time, an incorporation and finest possible dispersion of nanoscale filler particles in the polymer matrix is necessary.

Based on the state of the art - carbon black and silica as reinforcing fillers – at elastomers department of the Leibniz-Institutes für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V. seveal novel filler systems for elastomer materials were tested, including
Layered silicates, hydrotalcides, halloysite nanotubes, carbon nanotubes, graphene, nanodiamonds and cellulose particles.

In order to achieve a good dispersion of the filler particles, often a modification of the filler surface is necessary to achieve compatibilization and / or chemical binding of the particle to the polymer matrix. This approach, known from the silica / silane system has been successfully redeveloped for new nano filler systems as layered silicates, carbon nanotubes or graphene.

New material characterization methods, such as modeling of the dynamic mechanical properties of filled elastomers using a multi-scale approach enable a holistic understanding of the viscoelastic behavior of rubber materials.