Silica-Filled S-Sbr With Epoxidized Soybean Oil: Influence Of The Mixing Process On Rheological And Mechanical Properties Of The Compound

The incorporation of epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) in a silica-filled tread rubber was studied. The aim of this research is to determinate the influence of ESO addition stage on rheological, thermal, mechanical, and viscoelastic properties in the rubber compound. The results suggested that ESO may compete with the silanes in the reaction with silanol groups on the silica surface, interfering with the silanization process. Therefore, a series of ESO-functionalized silica particles were prepared in which the ESO addition at different conditions were compared to the compound mixing conditions. The presence of covalent bonds by ESO onto silica surface and the changes originated by the silane incorporation were confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. Consequently, it can be affirmed that the effect of reaction conditions and the sequence of silane/ESO mixing have a strong influence on the final properties of the rubber compound. (c) 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 48504.