Nanostructure in Traditional Composites of Natural Rubber and Reinforcing Silica

2007 ◽  
Vol 80 (4) ◽  
pp. 690-700 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atsushi Kato ◽  
Shinzo Kohjiya ◽  
Yuko Ikeda
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Carbon Black ◽  
Natural Rubber ◽  
Electron Tomography ◽  
3D Visualization ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Rubber Matrix ◽  
3D Images ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Filler Dispersion

Abstract Usual rubber products are a composite from rubber and nano-filler (e.g. silica, carbon black, etc.), and it is believed that the good dispersion of the nano-filler is the most important issue determining the performance of rubber vulcanizates. So far, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has been the most useful tool for evaluation of the dispersion. However, it affords images of the sample projected on an x, y-plane, and the information along the thickness (z-axis) direction is missing. Three-dimensional (3D) visualization of nanometer structure of nano-filler dispersion in a rubber matrix is what all rubber technologists have been dreaming of. This dream is at last realized, and described in this paper. Use of TEM combined with computerized tomography (abbreviated as 3D-TEM in this paper, which is sometimes called electron tomography) enabled us to reconstruct 3D images of nano-filler (silica or carbon black) aggregates in rubbery matrix. It is said that nano-filler aggregate is a structure of size from 10 nm to 1000 nm, and agglomerate is an even larger structure. The 3D-TEM results on silica aggregates in natural rubber were presented in this paper. Silica aggregates were characterized by combining the 3D images of the vulcanizates. Furthermore, density of silica loaded natural rubber as an example of physical properties, was measured, and explained by the structure elucidated by 3D-TEM.

Three-Dimensional Morphology of Carbon Black in NR Vulcanizates as Revealed by 3D-Tem and Dielectric Measurements

2006 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 653-673 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atsushi Kato ◽  
Junichi Shimanuki ◽  
Shinzo Kohjiya ◽  
Yuko Ikeda
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Black ◽  
Natural Rubber ◽  
Physical Properties ◽  
Rational Design ◽  
Electron Tomography ◽  
3D Visualization ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Rubber Matrix ◽  
3D Images ◽  
Transmission Electron

Abstract Usual rubber products are a composite from rubber and nano-filler (e.g. carbon black, silica, etc.), and it is believed that the good dispersion of the nano-filler is the most important issue determining the performance of rubber vulcanizates. So far, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has been the most useful tool for evaluation of the dispersion. However, it affords images of the sample projected on an x, y-plane, and the information along the thickness (z-axis) direction is missing. Three-dimensional (3D) visualization of nanometer structure of nano-filler dispersion in a rubber matrix is what all rubber technologists have been dreaming of. This dream is at last realized, and described in this paper. Use of TEM combined with computerized tomography (abbreviated as 3D-TEM in this paper, which is sometimes called electron tomography) enabled us to reconstruct 3D images of nano-filler aggregates in rubbery matrix. The 3D-TEM results on carbon black in natural rubber were presented in this paper. The network structure formed by agglomeration of carbon black aggregates was elucidated by combining the 3D images and physical properties of the vulcanizates. Density, electrical resistivity and dielectric relaxation of carbon black loaded natural rubber as an example of physical properties, were measured, and explained by the structure elucidated by 3D-TEM. This technique will prove to be more and more important for the rational design of the nano-composites of rubbery matrix.

Three-Dimensional Dispersion of Nano-Fillers in Soft Composite as Revealed by Transmission Electron Microscopy/Electron Tomography (3D-TEM)

2006 ◽  
Vol 514-516 ◽  
pp. 353-358 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shinzo Kohjiya
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Transmission Electron Microscopy ◽  
Carbon Black ◽  
Natural Rubber ◽  
Structural Information ◽  
Electron Tomography ◽  
Nano Composites ◽  
Nano Structure ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Particulate Silica

. Generally rubber products are a typical soft material, and a composite of a nano-filler (typically, carbon black or particulate silica) and a rubber (natural rubber and various synthetics are used). The properties of these soft nano-composites have been well known to depend on the dispersion of the nano-filler in the rubbery matrix. The most powerful tool for the elucidation of it has been transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The microscopic techniques are based on the projection of 3-dimensional (3D) body on a plane (x, y plane), thus the structural information along the thickness (z axis) direction of the sample is difficult to obtain. This paper describes our recent results on the dispersion of carbon black (CB) and particulate silica in natural rubber (NR) matrix observed by TEM combined with electron tomography (3D-TEM) technique, which enabled us to obtain images of 3D nano-structure of the sample. Thus, 3D images of CB and silica in NR matrix are visualized and analyzed in this communication. These results are precious ones for the design of soft nano-composites, and the technique will become an indispensable one in nanotechnology.

Properties of Natural Rubber Nanocomposites Reinforced with Carbon Nanotubes

2015 ◽  
Vol 1109 ◽  
pp. 195-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abd Aziz Azira ◽  
Dayang Habibah Abangismawi I. Hassim ◽  
D. Verasamy ◽  
Abu Bakar Suriani ◽  
M. Rusop
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Natural Rubber ◽  
Considerable Increase ◽  
Physical And Mechanical Properties ◽  
Rubber Matrix ◽  
Rubber Composites ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Maximum Conductivity ◽  
Polymer Latex

In order to achieve improvements in the performance of rubber materials, the development of carbon nanotube (CNT)-reinforced rubber composites was attempted. The CNT/epoxidised natural rubber (ENR) nanocomposite was prepared through latex technology. Physical and mechanical properties of the CNT/ENR nanocomposites were characterized in contrast to the carbon black (CB)/ENR composite. The dispersion of the CNTs in the rubber matrix and interfacial bonding between them were rather good; monitored transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The mechanical properties of the CNT-reinforced ENR showed a considerable increase compared to the neat ENR and traditional CB/ENR composite. The storage modulus of the CNT/ENR nanocomposites greatly exceeds that of neat ENR and CB/ENR composites and a maximum conductivity of about 1 S m-1 can be achieved. The approach presented can be adapted to other CNT/polymer latex systems.

Three-Dimensional Imaging of Shear Band Produced by ECAP Process in Al-Ag Alloy

2006 ◽  
Vol 503-504 ◽  
pp. 603-608
Author(s):  
Koji Inoke ◽  
Kenji Kaneko ◽  
Z. Horita
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Transmission Electron Microscopy ◽  
Electron Tomography ◽  
Shear Bands ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Angular Pressing ◽  
Ecap Process ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Scanning Transmission ◽  
The Matrix

A significant change in microstructure occurs during the application of severe plastic deformation (SPD) such as by equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP). In this study, intense plastic strain was imposed on an Al-10.8wt%Ag alloy by the ECAP process. The amount of strain was controlled by the numbers of passes. After 1 pass of ECAP, shear bands became visible within the matrix. With increasing numbers of ECAP passes, the fraction of shear bands was increased. In this study, the change in microstructures was examined by three-dimensional electron tomography (3D-ET) in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) or scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). With this 3D-ET method, it was possible to conduct a precise analysis of the sizes, widths and distributions of the shear bands produced by the ECAP process. It is demonstrated that the 3D-ET method is promising to understand mechanisms of microstructural refinement using the ECAP process.

Three-Dimensional Chemistry of Multiphase Nanomaterials by Energy-Filtered Transmission Electron Microscopy Tomography

2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 1118-1128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucian Roiban ◽  
Loïc Sorbier ◽  
Christophe Pichon ◽  
Pascale Bayle-Guillemaud ◽  
Jacques Werckmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Transmission Electron Microscopy ◽  
Electron Tomography ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Analysis Tool ◽  
Shell Nanoparticles ◽  
3D Nanostructures ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Silica Alumina

AbstractA three-dimensional (3D) study of multiphase nanostructures by chemically selective electron tomography combining tomographic approach and energy-filtered imaging is reported. The implementation of this technique at the nanometer scale requires careful procedures for data acquisition, computing, and analysis. Based on the performances of modern transmission electron microscopy equipment and on developments in data processing, electron tomography in the energy-filtered imaging mode is shown to be a very appropriate analysis tool to provide 3D chemical maps at the nanoscale. Two examples highlight the usefulness of analytical electron tomography to investigate inhomogeneous 3D nanostructures, such as multiphase specimens or core-shell nanoparticles. The capability of discerning in a silica-alumina porous particle the two different components is illustrated. A quantitative analysis in the whole specimen and toward the pore surface is reported. This tool is shown to open new perspectives in catalysis by providing a way to characterize precisely 3D nanostructures from a chemical point of view.

3D Morphological Characterization of Carbon-Black Aggregates Using Transmission Electron Microscopy

1994 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 280-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tyler C. Gruber ◽  
T. W. Zerda ◽  
Michel Gerspacher
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Transmission Electron Microscopy ◽  
Carbon Black ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Reconstruction Algorithm ◽  
Morphological Characterization ◽  
Three Dimensional Modeling ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Best Fitting ◽  
Using Data

Abstract A three-dimensional modeling technique is used to characterize the structure of carbon-black aggregates. The relative positions of individual particles in aggregates are determined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Data are acquired from two-dimensional projections taken with the aggregates at two different orientations with respect to the electron beam. Computerized aggregate models are generated using data from TEM projections in our reconstruction algorithm. Inspection of these models shows that their projections very closely replicate the TEM micrographs. Quantitative analysis of the aggregate models reveals that aggregates generally exhibit anisotropy, in the form of a reduction of aggregate breadth, or “flatness,” in one direction. The flat sides tend to align preferentially, along the plane of the TEM sample grid. The dimensions for each aggregate with respect to its best-fitting plane of flatness are determined, and are related through a “flatness index.”

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