Thermooxidative aging of rubber composites based on NR and NBR with incorporated strontium ferrite

Rubber magnetic composites were prepared by incorporation of strontium ferrite in concentration scale ranging from 0 phr to 100 phr into rubber matrices based on natural rubber (NR) and acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR). The composite systems were exposed to the conditions of thermooxidative aging at 70°C for 7, 14, and 28 days. The influence of aging period on the behavior of prepared materials was considered based on investigation of their cross-link density, physical–mechanical, and magnetic characteristics. The results revealed that the influence of thermooxidative aging on composite characteristics is dependent on the type of rubber matrix. The thermooxidative aging was found to have negative effect on the cross-link density and tensile properties of composites based on NR, which were deteriorated in dependence of aging time. The possible influence of magnetic filler content on aging mechanism was observed during last period of aging after which the decrease in cross-link density and tensile characteristics was more pronounced with increasing content of strontium ferrite. By contrast, the cross-link density, modulus, and hardness of composites based on NBR were found to be positively influenced by aging as their values showed increasing trend with extension of aging period.