Characteristics of Acrylic Rubber Composites with Mica and Carbon Black

In this work mica or carbon black were used as filler in composites of acrylic rubber (ACM). The fillers differ not only in nature, mica being a mineral material and carbon black being organic, but also in form and particle size. The content of filler varied from 0 to 50 phr and its influence on ACM was evaluated based on cure parameters, mechanical, and swelling properties. The cure parameters allow the conclusion that the presence of mica does not have a negative effect on the cure or processability; the swelling results indicated a weak interaction between ACM and mica even though the mechanical properties of ACM composition with 40 phr of mica were found to be similar to those of 20 phr carbon black. As a result of mica being less expensive than carbon black, is light colored and easily processible, these properties are of industrial importance. All properties analyzed were compared with gum type composition (without filler).