Utilization of Carbonized Cashew Nut Shell Powder (CNSP)Particles for the Reinforcement of Natural Rubber Filled Composite

Abstract

Natural rubber was reinforced with particles of cashew nut shell powder (CNSP) as filler. The filler was loaded in the compound from 0-50pphr of natural rubber. The cashew nut shell powder was carbonized and characterized for pH, moisture content, particle size, bulk density and ash content. The characterization results revealed 8.13 pH value, 0.58% moisture content, 276.4 d.nm at 69.2% and 404 d. nm at 30.8% particle size, 0.4032g/ml bulk density and 15.99% ash content. The mechanical analyses carried out were tensile strength, compression strength, hardness and abrasion resistance. The obtained results showed that as filler loading was increased from 0-50pphr, the tensile strength also increased from 0.30Mpa to 5.60Mpa which is agood indication of reinforcement of the filler. The compound filled wit h 10pphr gave the best percentage compression strength of 11.1% while that of 50pphr revealed 22.2%. The hardness values were not left out in the trend as the filler also increased, the hardness resistance also increased from 25-44 IRHD. The abrasion resistance increased as the filler loading was increased from 0-40pphr with abrasion values of 6.78, 0.84, 0.57, 0.35 and 0.21% respectively before it increased at 50pphr to 1.73%.