Utilization of chitin powder as a filler in natural rubber vulcanizates: In comparison with carbon black filler

Abstract

Natural rubber (NR) vulcanizates were prepared from natural rubber and chitin using a two-roll mill. The chitin was extracted from crab shell waste obtained from a local market in Oron, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria using the chemical extraction method. The effects of the chitin at different contents (0-40 phr) on the mechanical properties of the NR/Chitin vulcanizates with carbon black as reference filler have been investigated. The tensile strength of the chitin filled natural rubber (NCH), and the carbon black filled natural rubber (NCB) vulcanizates were found to increase with an increase in filler content to reach optimum at 30 phr after which it decreased. The hardness, impact and abrasion resistance properties of the NCH and NCB vulcanizates increased as filler content increases. The tensile strength and abrasion resistance of the vulcanizates containing blends of varying percentages of carbon black to chitin (CBCH) increased as more carbon black (CB) is introduced while the hardness and impact strength increased with increase in chitin content. However, carbon black filled vulcanizates showed better property enhancement than the chitin filler.