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Microstructure and mechanical properties of nanocomposites were studied for polyamide-6 (PA6)/nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) reinforced with pristine and organosilane modified halloysite nanotubes (HNT). Organosilane modification of the nanotubes was done to enhance the interfacial interactions and therefore to achieve TPE nanocomposites with more fine morphology of the NBR phase and better controlled mechanical properties. The effects of rubber content, HNT loading and modification of HNT on the morphology and mechanical properties were investigated. The nanocomposites and HNTs modified with [3-(2,3-Epoxypropoxy)-propyl]-trimethoxysilane were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nitrogen adsorption (BET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and differential scanning colorimeter (DSC). The morphology study of prepared nanocomposites show that the size of NBR droplets in TPE nanocomposites reduces by introducing of pristine and organosilane modified halloysite nanotubes into the PA6 phase. The mechanical properties investigations revealed that the Young's modulus increases up to 45 and 75% by introducing of pristine and modified HNTs into the PA6 phase respectively. The results show that significant improvement was achieved in the physical and mechanical properties of PA6/NBR thermoplastic elastomer nanocomposites containing of silane modified HNTs. POLYM. COMPOS., 00:000-000, 2016.

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This paper describes the development of a finite element model for the simulation of the rubber curing process in a mold. Thermal conductivity and heat capacity of the rubber are assumed to be dependent on temperature. The cure kinetic behavior of the rubber is also assumed to be described by an empirical model proposed by Kamal and Sourour. The governing equation is solved using the finite element method in a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. The applicability of the model is verified by a comparison between the results of the simulation of the vulcanization of a rubber part in the mold with experimentally measured temperature profile. It has been shown that there is very good agreement between the model predictions and the actual data.

In this article a review is presented of studies on polypropylene and ethylenepropylene-diene terpolymer nanocomposites, reported in the period from 1970 to 2007. The article has two major parts; first it discusses TPVs made up of a thermoplastic and a volcanizable elastomer, and second it explains about nanocomposite technology and its remarkable effects on the properties, morphology, and applications of TPVs.