Investigation the dielectric strength and mechanical features of nitrile butadiene rubber enhanced by different nanoparticles

Abstract

To investigate the dielectric strength and mechanical features of modified nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles have been used. Specimens have been experimentally prepared with loading various concentrations (0.5, 1, 1.5 and 3 parts per hundred part of rubber “Phr”) to NBR base material. The dielectric strength has been evaluated by applying AC high voltage on the prepared samples up to reaching the breakdown state. On the other hand tensile strength, elongation at break and modulus at 100% elongation have been experimented to exploration the mechanical features of the NBR enhanced by nanoparticles. Although all the recorded results of modified NBR samples showed improvement more than the base material at dielectric, tensile strength and modulus at 100% elongation tests. The elongation at break result showed a negative impact; it was caused by forming a new links between NBR and nanoparticles. The dielectric constants of applied nanoparticles are greater than NBR base materials, which can physically explain the improvement in all recorded breakdown results. But the enhancement in the measured mechanical features can be attributed to chemical bonds which were reconstructed and the gaps of NBR base material that had been filled.