Physico-mechanical and electrical properties of conductive carbon black reinforced chlorosulfonated polyethylene vulcanizates

The present work deals with the effect of conductive carbon black (Ensaco 350G) on the physico-mechanical and electrical properties of chlorosulfonated polyethylene (CSM) rubber vulcanizates. The physico-mechanical properties like tensile strength, tear strength, elongation at break, compression set, hardness and abrasion resistance have been studied before and after heat ageing. Up to 30 parts per hundred rubber (phr) filler loading both tensile and tear strength increases beyond which it shows a decreasing trend whereas modulus gradually increases with the filler loading. Incorporation of carbon black increases the hysteresis loss of filled vulcanizates compared to gum vulcanizates. Unlike gum vulcanizate, in filled vulcanizates the rate of relaxation shows increasing trend. The bound rubber content is found to increase with increase in filler loading. Dielectric relaxation spectra were used to study the relaxation behavior as a function of frequency (100 to 106 Hz) at room temperature. Variation in real and imaginary parts of electric modulus has been explained on the basis of interfacial polarization of fillers in the polymer medium. The percolation limit of the conductive black as studied by ac conductivity measurements has also been reported.