Effect of glass fiber on rheological, thermal and mechanical properties of EPDM composites

The development of high-performance filled rubber composites has opened a new era in industrial polymer research. In this study, the effects of glass fiber (CE) on the rheological behavior, crosslink density, mechanical performance, thermal characteristics, and morphology of ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) rubber composites were investigated. EPDM composites filled with CE at loadings of 11, 22, 54, 90, and 145 phr were prepared using a laboratory-type Banbury mixer and subsequently vulcanized by compression molding to obtain test specimens. It was observed that the CE was homogeneously distributed in the EPDM rubber. The tensile modulus increased by 19.7% with increasing CE content. The tensile strength reached a maximum value of 12.1 MPa at 22 phr CE content, after which a decline was observed. The addition of CE to the EPDM rubber led to an increase in both minimum torque (ML) and maximum torque (MH) values while reducing the scorch time (ts2) and curing time (t90). Furthermore, the crosslink density increased by 429% with the addition of CE. As a result of the study, it is evaluated that CE can be an alternative material for the production of EPDM composites with high temperature resistance and improved mechanical and physical properties.