Evaluating the efficiency of functionalized zinc oxide based curing system for polychloroprene composites and analyzing its effect on curing, physical, and morphological properties for the application in specialty power transmission belts

Abstract

Polychloroprene rubber (CR) is one of the most abundantly used elastomer in power transmission belt section due to its excellent oil resistance, weather resistance, antistatic and dynamic properties. However, due to the negative impact of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) used with CR rubber towards marine environment, it is necessary to minimize the use of ZnO in CR based rubber compounds. Functionalized-ZnO(F–ZnO) being emerged as a suitable replacement for regular ZnO in rubber compounding, the effect of F–ZnO on the curing, mechanical and morphological properties of polychloroprene (CR) based composites to use in power transmission belt applications are evaluated in this work. The curing properties of F–ZnO based composites were characterized using various techniques and results were reported as a comparison with the properties of conventional ZnO (C– ZnO) based CR composites. Properties of various ZnO were analyzed using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis and Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) studies. The replacement of C–ZnO with F–ZnO help to reduce 80 % of Zn content from the end products without effecting the cure time and cross-link density of the same. 5 PHR of C– ZnO from regular compound is replaced with 1 and 3 Phr of F–ZnO and its effect on power transmission belt properties were analyzed thoroughly.

Keywords

• Nano zinc oxide
• Curing system
• Polychloroprene rubber
• V-belts