Potential use of ZnO anchored boron industrial waste microparticles as a novel eco-friendly activator in cis-polybutadiene /natural rubber composites

Abstract

Boron industrial waste (BIW) is a commercially valuable raw material in many industries. The evaluation of BIW is of increasing importance because of the rapid and growing consumption of raw material resources in the world. In this study, the BIW was modified by ZnO and then the ZnO anchored boron industrial waste (ZnO_BIW) was used as an activator in the vulcanization of cis-polybutadiene/natural rubber (cis-PB/NR/ZnO_BIW) composites to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released into nature in the rubber industry, as well as decrease the vulcanization time, resulting in energy saving. The composites were prepared using different loads of ZnO_BIW (1, 3, 5, 7 and 10 phr), whose optimum proportions of commercial ZnO are used in the rubber industry. BIW, ZnO_BIW and cis-PB/NR/ZnO_BIW composites were characterized by SEM, EDX, FTIR, and XRD. The effect of the ZnO_BIW incorporation amount on the rheological, structural, and physico-mechanical properties of the cis-PB/NR/ZnO_BIW composites was assessed and the properties of the rubber composites were compared with each other. According to the results, 5 phr of ZnO_BIW has been given significantly better performance in tensile strength (15.97 N/mm²), elongation at break (742.47 %), optimum cure time (12.26 min), and cure rate index (12.47 min⁻¹) in comparison with the other phr ratios. It was found that the new activator could be used as a curing activator and simultaneously reinforcing filler. The utilization of ZnO_BIW as an activator to produce rubber products can greatly promote rubber technology to be cost-effective and has ecological potentials.