A Colloidal Model to describe the effects of mixing time on filler dispersion in industrial nanocomposites

POSTER

Abstract

The properties of industrial nanocomposites such as tires depend on the degree of filler dispersion under high-shear mixing. Conventionally, the dispersion is quantified through an index based on the reduction in micron-scale agglomerate size observed in micrographs and bulk electrical conductivity measurements. An alternate nano-scale dispersion technique based on x-ray scattering has been proposed.1 The impact of mixing time on dispersion is investigated taking advantage of the van der Waals equation to describe excluded volume and interaction energy in the dispersion. Herein, an analogy is made between thermally driven true colloidal dispersions and total accumulated strain in nanocomposites. The excluded volume depends only on the filler type and seems insensitive to bound rubber whereas the interaction energy is strongly dependent on viscosity and polymer chemistry. Moreover, the wetting time for nano-scale incorporation of elastomer into filler can be predicted. The description of nano-scale dispersion via a pseudo- second virial coefficient offers the additional possibility of determining the interaction potential that can be used for coarse grained simulations.

1Y. Jin et al. Polymer 129 (2017) 32

Presenters

  • Vishak Narayanan

    Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Cincinnati

Authors

  • Vishak Narayanan

    Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Cincinnati

  • Kabir Rishi

    Dept. Chem. and Mat. Eng, University of Cincinnati, OH, Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Cincinnati, University of Cincinnati

  • Greg Beaucage

    Dept. Chem. and Mat. Eng, University of Cincinnati, OH, Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Cincinnati, University of Cincinnati

  • Vikram K Kuppa

    University of Dayton Research Institute, University of Dayton, OH, Nonstructural Materials Division, University of Dayton Research Institute, University of Dayton Research Institute, Nonstructural Materials Division, University of Dayton, University of Dayton Research Institute

  • Alex McGlasson

    Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Cincinnati, University of Cincinnati

  • Michael Chauby

    Dept. Chem. and Mat. Eng, University of Cincinnati, OH, Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Cincinnati, University of Cincinnati