Improved wear resistance of natural rubber-based tire materials via constructing carbon black/Ar plasma modified pyrolysis carbon black hybrid filler network

This study explores high-performance natural rubber (NR)-based tire materials using hybrid fillers composed of air jet-milled, Ar plasma-modified pyrolysis carbon black (MP-CBp) and high-abrasion furnace black (HAF) N330 in varying ratios. MP-CBp/N330 system enhances filler-polymer interactions, improving mechanical and tribological performance. Tribological tests confirm that MP-CBp improves adhesion to the counterface and promotes lubricative transfer film formation, leading to superior wear resistance and wet traction. MP-CBp/N330 with a 10/40 ratio exhibits optimal moduli and DIN abrasion resistance, while 20/30 and 30/20 ratios significantly enhance tensile strength and durability. In block-on-ring (BOR) tests, these composites demonstrate improvements of 36.3% in wear resistance and 116.1% in wet traction compared to pure N330, highlighting their potential for sustainable tire recycling and performance enhancement.