Preparation and properties of nitrile rubber/superfine down powder composites

The purpose of this study was to improve utilization rate of waste protein materials. In this article, down fiber was ground into superfine down powder (SDP) and then filled into nitrile rubber (NBR) directly. The cure‐curve, dynamic rheological behavior, morphology, tensile property, and thermal properties of NBR/SDP composites were studied. The results showed that SDP formed a developed but weak filler–filler network, which resulted in obvious “Payne effect,” the increased storage modulus, loss tangent and complex viscosity of the NBR/SDP composites. SDP could be distributed uniformity in the NBR matrix, but the large sizes of most SDP weaken the interaction between the particles and NBR matrix. The tensile property was improved by high SDP load. The SDP decreased the temperature at 5% weight loss of the NBR/SDP composites, but not apparently affected the maximum weight loss rate of the NBR. At last, the results of this study suggested that SDP was potential to be one of the available additives fillers in rubber industry, as long as the smaller size of SDP was achieved. POLYM. COMPOS., 34:1136–1143, 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers