Study on Mechanical Properties of Natural Rubber Filled with Molasses Black/Carbon Black Hybrid Filler System

Molasses is an inexpensive byproduct made during the extraction of sugars from sugarcane. Viscous molasses was converted to powder form under heating process. Molasses black (MB), mainly consisting of carbon, was finally obtained. As a result of elemental analyzer, it is evident that MB containing 56.13 % of carbon. Additionally, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometer (FTIR) result confirmed that function groups of MB were comparable with carbon black (CB). Nevertheless, the large particle size and low specific surface area of MB was less effective for reinforcement. Therefore, in this research, a feasibility study was carried out on the utilization of MB together with carbon black as hybrid filler in natural rubber (NR). Reinforcement of NR with MB/CB hybrid filler at various ratios was studied. The total hybrid filler content was 30 parts per hundred of rubber (phr). The mechanical properties were determined. The results revealed that the NR vulcanizates containing hybrid filler exhibited the better reinforcement than that filled with single MB filler.