Development and Evaluation of Mechanical Properties of Rubber Matrix Composite for Automobile Transmission Belt Application

The importance of automobile transmission belts (ATB) in mechanical systems cannot be overemphasized. In developing countries, conventional ATB are mostly imported. Most of the imported ones lack sufficient strength, which makes them prone to frequent fracture, they are weak and break easily. This could lead to accidents and damage to engines. Also, frequent replacement of these belts increases the cost of maintenance. In this study, Rubber Matrix Composite has been developed using natural rubber reinforced with polyester fiber and carbon black particulates to modify and overcome these challenges. The produced samples were subjected to physical and mechanical tests. It was observed that the composite hardness increased gradually as polyester fiber reinforcement increased. The sample with fiber reinforcement of 8% exhibited a hardness value of 25.6 HV. Also, the sample without carbon black showed higher levels of water absorption of 20.5%, other samples showed lower levels of water absorption. The result of tensile strength revealed that the sample reinforced with only carbon black exhibited a low tensile strength of 30.30MPa, while the sample reinforced with both materials exhibited the highest tensile strength of 52.61MPa. Generally, the composites exhibited an increase in the mechanical properties as the weight percentage (wt.%) of the reinforcement increased. This study established that high-quality ATB can be produced locally using natural rubber and reinforcements.