REBOUND RESILIENCE AND HEAT BUILD-UP OF HYBRID CARBON BLACK/SILICA-REINFORCED SOLID TIRE TREAD COMPOUND CONTAINING GROUND TIRE RUBBER OF DIFFERENT PARTICLE SIZES

Reginald Umunakwe; Chioma Ifeyinwa Madueke; Ifeoma Janefrances Umunakwe; Dosu Malomo; Akinlabi Oyetunji; Wilson Uzochukwu Eze

Reginald Umunakwe Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Ikole Campus (Ikole Ekiti), Nigeria
Chioma Ifeyinwa Madueke Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Ikole Campus (Ikole Ekiti), Nigeria
Ifeoma Janefrances Umunakwe Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Federal University Oye-Ekiti
Dosu Malomo Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Federal University Oye-Ekiti
Akinlabi Oyetunji Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, School of Engineering and Engineering Technology, Federal University of Technology Akure Akure, Nigeria
Wilson Uzochukwu Eze Department of Polymer Technology, Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology, Zaria, Nigeria

Keywords: Ground tire rubber, heat build-up, hybrid filler, rebound resilience, vulcanizate

Abstract

The effect of addition of 20 phr ground tire rubber (GTR) of 40, 60, 80 and 100 mesh sizes in hybrid carbon black/silica (CB/SiO₂) reinforced solid tire tread compound on the rebound resilience and heat build-up was investigated. The hybrid filler reinforcement was in the ratio of 50/10. Two-step mixing utilizing an internal mixer and two-roll mill was employed for the mixing, while vulcanization was carried out at 150. Results show that additional GTR lowered the rebound resilience and increased the heat build-up of the vulcanizates with the 100 mesh size GTR impacting the most adverse effect on the vulcanizates. The use of hybrid CB/SiO₂reinforcement helped in the recovery of some of the lost rebound due to the addition of GTR in the matrix. The use of hybrid CB/SiO₂ reinforcement contributed to only a slight reduction in the heat build-up of solid tire tread compound containing 20 phr of GTR.