1H NMR Relaxation Studies of Cured Natural Rubbers with Different Carbon Black Fillers
Abstract 1H NMR relaxation data provide insight into the effects of carbon black fillers on the structure of polymer networks in products based on natural rubber so that accepted ideas concerning the interaction between elastomeric networks and active filling materials are confirmed. A new 1H NMR relaxation experiment allows the direct investigation of dangling chains within the polymeric network. In samples containing carbon black a motional anisotropy is observed for these chain ends, while dangling chains in samples without carbon black fillers show isotropic rotational motions. The parameter q′, quantifying the motional anisotropy, is suggested to be a measure of the physico-chemical interactions between elastomer and filler.