Kinetics of selective wetting of carbon nanotubes (CNT) in rubber blends

为了实现轮胎胎面胶料的限定技术性能，在实践中，通常生产不同橡胶的共混物。在聚合物共混物中加入碳纳米管（CNT）是一种很有前途的方法，可以将聚合物共混物的众所周知的优点与CNT的导电性/抗静电性和其他增强潜力相结合。CNT-橡胶界面相的改善可以优选通过CNT表面的化学改性和/或橡胶基质的官能化来实现。近年来，离子液体（IL）作为橡胶复合材料中碳纳米管的潜在表面改性剂已被频繁研究。与化学改性相反，IL分子和CNT表面之间的物理阳离子-π键可以在混合过程中在热力学驱动力下溶解并被CNT-橡胶键取代，这导致CNT的完全不同的润湿行为。因此，特别是在多相橡胶共混物中，通过控制填料-橡胶界面来具体调节复合材料性能变得非常困难。迄今为止，对于填充橡胶共混物混炼过程中填料-橡胶界面相的结构和组成的发展缺乏一致的定量表征方法。从科学和技术方面看，提交的研究项目侧重于进一步发展润湿概念和Z模型，这些概念和模型在以前的工作中已经建立，用于CB和二氧化硅填充橡胶化合物，描述了CNT在二元橡胶共混物中选择性润湿的动力学。通过考虑离子液体的存在，将定性和定量地表征填料-橡胶界面相的形成。该项目的目标是阐明共混组分的分子结构、混合参数和选择性CNT润湿、分散和分布以及填充橡胶共混物的物理性能之间的关系。该项目旨在建立CNT在橡胶共混物中的选择性润湿行为的知识，这在科学上是新的，远远超出了最先进的水平。（IPF Dresden）在材料开发中聚合物和填料的化学和物理改性方面，结合申请人在结构开发的表征和描述方面的能力，填充橡胶共混物的混合过程以理想的方式相互补充。他们以前的合作是项目成功的基础。

In order to achieve defined technical properties of tire tread compounds, in practice, blends of different rubbers are produced, usually. Addition of carbon nanotubes (CNT) in polymer blends is a promising way to combine the well-known advantages of polymer blends with conductivity/ antistatic properties and other reinforcement potential of CNT. The improvement of the CNT-rubber interphase can be preferably realized by the chemical modification of the CNT surface and/or functionalization of the rubber matrix. Recently, the use of ionic liquids (IL) as potential surface modifier for CNT in rubber composites has been frequently investigated. In contrast to the chemical modification the physical cation-pi bondings between IL molecules and CNT surface can be dissolved and replaced by the CNT-rubber bondings under thermodynamic driving forces during the mixing process that leads to a completely different wetting behavior of the CNT. Thereby, the specific adjustment of the composite performance by controlling the filler-rubber interphase becomes very difficult, in particular, in multiphase rubber blends. It lacks a consistent method for the quantitative characterization of the development of the structure and composition of the filler-rubber interphase during the mixing process of filled rubber blends so far.From scientific and technical aspects the submitted research project focuses on the further development of the wetting concept and Z-model, which have been established in previous works for CB and silica filled rubber compounds, to describe the kinetics of the selective CNT wetting in binary rubber blends. The formation of the filler-rubber interphase will be qualitatively and quantitatively characterized by taking into consideration the presence of ionic liquid. The elucidation of the relationship between the molecular structure of blend components, mixing parameters, and the selective CNT wetting, dispersion and distribution, as well as the physical properties of filled rubber blends is the target of the project. The aim of the project to establish knowledge of the selective wetting behavior of CNT in rubber blends are scientifically new and go significantly beyond the state of the art. The comprehensive knowledge and experiences of the host institute (IPF Dresden) in chemical and physical modification of polymers and fillers in material development in combination with the competent of the applicant in the characterization and description of structure development in the mixing processes of filled rubber blends complement one another in an ideal way. Their previous collaboration represents a basic for the success of the project.