Effect of Metal Components in Clay on Aging Propertiesof Natural Rubber/Clay Composites
Three kinds of clay were treated by using reductant, strong acid and additionalmetal compounds, and the corresponding clay/rubber masterbatch was prepared for testing theproperties of thermo-oxidative aging. The results showed that the aging properties of theclay/rubber masterbatch were affected by four metal components (e.g. copper, manganese,cobalt and iron) in clay, most significantly by Co, followed by Cu and then Fe and Mn.Clay iron does not affect the aging of clay/rubber masterbatch obviously within a certainrange. No corresponding relationship was found between the aging properties of clay/rubbermasterbatch and the content of detrimental metal compounds in clay because there existed adifference in form of metal components in clay.