Lignin-Carbon Black Hybrid Fillers Towards Development of Energy Efficient Rubber Compounds

Lignins possess strong mechanical properties and contain a number of reactive functional groups, which make them suitable as fillers in polymer compounds of thermoplastic and thermosetting resins. The present study aims at producing rubber compounds with reduced rolling resistance by partially replacing carbon black with lignin. The first part of this study focuses on cyclohexylamine (CA) modification of lignin to derive compatibility with the rubber matrix. Lignins, due to polar nature, retard rubber curing and give poor mechanical properties. Consequently, reduction of lignin polarity is a major issue in the development of synergistic rubber compounds. CA reduces polarity of lignin via proton transfer and hydrogen bonding interactions. The second part of this study investigates hybrid fillers of lignin/carbon black by exploring the non-covalent interactions between the two and studying how the hybrid fillers play a role in reducing the rolling resistance of rubber compounds. The effect of the hybrid fillers on the tensile, dynamic mechanical, cure properties, and morphology of SBR compounds will be discussed in the talk.