Rapid and Scalable Preparation of Montmorillonite Nanosheets/Carbon Black Synergistically Reinforced Rubber Nanocomposites for Enhanced Tire Performance

ABSTRACT This study presents a simple and scalable two‐step method for preparing montmorillonite nanosheets (MMTNT)/carbon black (CB)/natural rubber (NR) nanocomposites. The process involves exfoliating MMTNT by mixing sodium montmorillonite with an ethanol solution of polyethylene‐phosphate glycol ester (commercial name: Exolit OP 550), followed by incorporation into the CB/NR composite via mechanical blending. The resulting MMTNT/CB/NR nanocomposites demonstrate significantly enhanced static and dynamic mechanical properties compared to conventional CB/NR composites, including higher tensile strength, tear resistance, wet‐skid resistance, fatigue life, and abrasion resistance, along with reduced heat buildup. The improvement in performance is attributed to the uniform dispersion of MMTNT, its high specific surface area, and effective disruption of the CB network. These findings highlight the great potential of MMTNT for developing high‐performance tire materials.