Reinforcement of Elastomers by Carbon Black

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Abstract
The reinforcement of elastomers by carbon black is governed by the morphology of the black and its physical and chemical interactions with the polymer. The latter are strongly affected by graphitization and surface oxidation. In modern rubber-grade carbon blacks strong bonding of the polymer to the carbon black surface is effected by several mechanisms, but surface chemical differences between blacks are relatively small, so that the dominant characteristic becomes the morphology. This is determined by the average size and size distribution of the particles which are fused together to form primary aggregates resembling branched random coils, the spatial arrangement of the particles in these aggregates, and the number of particles per aggregate and its distribution. This highly complex morphology can, to a first approximation, be represented by the specific surface area accessible to rubber and some, usually indirect, measure of the volume pervaded by the primary aggregates (“structure”). Important mechanical properties of reinforced rubbers depend to different degrees on these two characteristics, often in rather complex manner. Their effects on viscoelastic and failure properties are described. Additionally, some very recent observations on the effects of carbon black on network structure and the influence of the breadth of the aggregate size distribution on viscoelastic behavior are discussed.

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