THE EFFECT OF RICE HUSK ASH ON THE PROPERTIES OF RUBBER BASED ON BUTADIENE-METHYL STYRENE RUBBER SKMS-30 ARKM-15

Fillers of rubber compounds significantly reduce the cost of rubbers, as well as improve some of their properties. In recent years, researchers have been searching for new rubber compound fillers that will replace classic fillers, cheap and environmentally friendly. The use of agricultural waste in the rubber industry will not only solve the problem of waste disposal, but also reduce dependence on traditional fillers. The need to reduce dependence on traditional fillers is caused by environmental problems of their production, limited stocks, economic benefits from the use of renewable or cheaper fillers, and other reasons. Therefore, in this paper, the possibility of using rice husk ash as a filler in rubber mixtures based on butadiene-methyl styrene rubber is investigated. The effect of the introduction of rice husk ash (RHA) on the properties of rubber compounds and rubbers is estimated. In the standard formulation of the rubber mixture, the filler white soot (WS) was replaced with rice husk ash in an amount from 0 to 50 mass.p. The properties were determined according to standard rubber testing methods. It was found that increasing the dosage of rice husk ash reduces the viscosity of rubber compounds, improving their recyclability and, accordingly, reducing energy consumption. To determine the vulcanization regime, a study of the vulcanization characteristics of mixtures was conducted on a rheometer at a temperature of 170 ° C: an increase in the ash content of rice husks in mixtures leads to a decrease in the optimal vulcanization time and an increase in the time of sub-vulcanization. It is determined that the strength properties of rubbers decrease with an increase in the content of rice husk ash in them. This is caused by a decrease in the crosslinking density of rubber macromolecules and their weak interaction with rice husk ash particles. The main working media of rubbers are water and gasoline, therefore, an assessment of the resistance of rubbers to water and gasoline was carried out. The sample with a WS/RHA (white soot/rice husk ash) content of 20/30 mass.p had the greatest resistance to water. The degree of swelling of all samples did not exceed 6%, which indicates the presence the resistance of rubbers with RHA to water. The use of rice husk ash in an amount of 20-50 mass.p as a filler reduces the elastic-strength properties of rubbers based on SKMS-30 ARKM-15.