In this study, leather fibers have been used as an additive in several elastomeric compounds based on nitryl butadiene rubber (NBR), chloroprene rubber (CR), ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM), and chlorinated isobutylene-isoprene rubber (CIIR). The effects of employing fibers upon vulcanization characteristics, physico-mechanical and thermal properties of the compounds were studied. Measuring of vulcanization characteristics of the compounds exhibited that leather fibers has no considerable effect on initial viscosity, processability, and curing time of the compounds but increases cross-link density. Evaluation of mechanical properties of the vulcanized compounds showed that using leather fibers leads to increase in tensile strength of NBR-based compound due to compatibility between NBR and leather fibers. Also hardness of all compounds increased drastically by employing leather fibers. The obtained results showed incorporation of leather fibers had no considerable effect on resilience, density, and thermal stability of compounds but enhanced liquid resistance.

The effect of incubation period and the presence of organic membrane on eggshell activity toward elastomers (NBR, NR and SBR) has been investigated. After hatching eggshell (AHES) showed enhanced mechanical properties when compared to before hatching eggshell (BHES) and calcium carbonate. Compounds containing BHES powder also showed good mechanical properties. Both types of eggshells reduced optimum curing time of the compounds. This trend was more considerable in NBR compound. The improvement of mechanical properties of the compounds attributed to elemental composition and higher specific area of AHES. The results of this study showed both before hatching and after hatching eggshell can be used in elastomeric compound as a bio-filler.

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