International Conference on Sustainable Built Environment NANCO AND UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE JOINT RESEARCH SESSION ON NANOTECHNOLOGY AND SUSTAINABLE BUILT ENVIRONMENT December, 2010 at Earls Regency, Kandy, Sri Lanka

NATURAL RUBBER/LAYERED SILCATE NANOCOMPOSITE FOR BUILDING APPLICATIONS T.C. Peiris (BSc Eng, MSc) U.N. Rathnayake (PhD. Loughborough )

Outline  Conventional rubber composites  Importance of nanotechnology  Feasible nanomaterial and processing with it  Results and discussion  Future directions

 Key applications in construction industry: Conventional rubber composites - Tires/Tracks - Load bearings (Bridge bearings, Fenders, etc.) - Bushes, Mounts, Floorings - Hoses, Belts, Rollers, Sheets, etc. Rubber/s + Carbon black/Silica

 Requirements: Conventional rubber composites Contd. - A reinforcing material from non-polluted route - Non- petroleum product - Cost effectiveness - Non- hazardous to process  Is there a material to replace Carbon black? - If so,

 Advantages of Rubber nanocomposites (RNCs) Importance of nanotechnology - Improved mechanical properties at very low loading levels of nanomaterials - Substitute for Rubber / Carbon black or Silica composites  Inert materials  reinforcing fillers - Improved barrier properties - Improved thermal stability

 Montmorillonite (MMT): Feasible nanomaterial & processing with it - Inorganic layered silicate - Provides easy surface modification - In-situ nanofiller formation via: - Intercalation and exfoliation of MMT  Preparation of RNCs: - Solution intercalation - In-situ polymerisation - Latex route - Melt blending (Banbury and two-roll mixing) Paul D.R., Robenson L.M. Polymer nanotechnology: nanocomposites, Journal of Polymer 49 (2008)

 Preparation of Natural rubber NCs through melt blending: Feasible nanomaterial & processing with it Contd. - By organically modifying the MMT (i.e. OMMT) - By incorporating polar additives to the rubber 1) Compatibility between the rubber and the MMT - By optimising the shear level during the mixing - By optimising the processing time, temperature 2) Adjusted processing parameters Thereby achieving maximum intercalation and exfoliation

 Intercalation and exfoliation Feasible nanomaterial & processing with it Contd. Paul D.R., Robenson L.M. Polymer nanotechnology: nanocomposites, Journal of Polymer 49 (2008)

Results & discussion  Several compounds were prepared - All values are in phr (parts per hundred parts of rubber)

 Vulcanisation characteristics Results & discussion Contd.

 X-ray diffractometer analysis - Target: for no-peak situation Results & discussion Contd. Two theta

Results & discussion Contd.  SEM image of cured NRLS4

 Intercalation and exfoliation Feasible nanomaterial & processing with it Contd. N+N+ 2R

Results & discussion Contd.  Tensile strength and Modulus

*Engineering with rubber : how to design rubber components / Alan N. ** Results & discussion Contd. - Bridge bearings *- Required properties for bridge bearings**

Future directions - Preparation of NCs with 100% exfoliation - Preparation of NCs by rubber blends - Further improvements along barrier properties & thermal stability - Improvements towards functional materials (antistatic, electrical, magnetic or hybrid etc.)

Acknowledgement Prof. Ajith De Alwis & Prof. Veranja karunarathne for the leadership given Team NANCO Loadstar Pvt, Ltd

Thank you …

Sustainability - Energy conservation - Materials efficiency - Pollution reduction - Recycling