Ultra-small SiO2 nanoparticles highly dispersed on non-covalent functionalized reduced graphene oxide nanoplatelets for high-performance elastomer applications

Abstract Encouraged by results of theoretical simulations, we used non-covalently functionalized reduced graphene oxide (NFRGO) nanoplatelets as a substance to grow in situ SiO2 nanoparticles. A series of hierarchical-structured NFRGO-SiO2 nanocomposites were prepared and applied to reinforce hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR). Ultra-small SiO2 nanoparticles were obtained and highly dispersed on the NFRGO due to the non-covalent functionalization of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). A small amount (1 wt%) of NFRGO incorporated into the SiO2 improves both the static and the dynamic mechanical properties as well as the viscoelastic behavior of NFRGO-SiO2/HNBR composites due to the weak hybrid filler network and the strong filler-rubber interfacial interaction. Significantly, the reinforcement index (RI) of 1%-NFRGO-SiO2/HNBR is 150.7% and 53.9% higher than those of SiO2/HNBR and the HNBR composites filled by a mixture of 1 wt% of RGO and SiO2 (1%-RGO-SiO2/HNBR), respectively. Our work highlights the rational design of hierarchical nanocomposites for reinforcing high-performing HNBR composites.