EFFECT OF CARBONIZATION TEMPERATURE ON THE REINFORCEMENT PROPERTIES OF GROUND RICE HUSK USED AS FILLER IN NATURAL RUBBER VULCANIZATE

Abstract

The production of fillers from local agricultural wastes (rice hulls) is one of the most viable ways of transforming agricultural wastes to valuable materials. Moreover, the effe ct of carbonization temperature on the reinforcement properties of ground rice husk in natural rubber vulcanizate was studied. Rice hulk carbonized at specific temperatures “300oC, 400oC, 500oC, 600oC, 700oC and 800oC and ground to fine particles were incorporated into natural rubber using standard method. Cured test pieces were obtaine d and subjected to hardness test, abrasion resistance test and tensile strength test. The carbon black obtained from rice husk at carbonization temperature of 6000C gave the highest reinforcement properties: hardness 67 IRHD, abrasion resistance 58.5%, tensile strength 11.0MPa, elongation at break 892.5% and elastic modulus 1.9MPa. These values were closely followed by those of 7000C.