OPTIMIZATION FORMULA OF CARBON BLACK REINFORCED EPDM/NR BASED RUBBER FOR RUBBER TRACK PAD APPLICATION IN MEDIUM-WEIGHT TANK

• Main Author: Fauziah, Lathifah
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Subjects: Teknik (Rekayasa, enjinering dan kegiatan berkaitan)
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/76292
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Rubber track pad (RTP) is a tank motion component that requires regular replacement. However, Indonesia still depends on foreign suppliers for the procurement of RTP. With the aim of enhancing Indonesia's self-reliance in the defense and national security sector, this research focuses on developing a rubber formulation for RTP applications. Ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM) is a synthetic rubber known for its high hardness, abrasion resistance, and aging resistance. However, the tensile strength, modulus 200, and tear strength of EPDM still need improvement to match the performance of commercial RTP. The enhancement of EPDM vulcanizate's mechanical properties can be achieved by adding carbon black (CB) and blending EPDM with natural rubber (NR). This research investigates the optimization of CB content ranging from 45 to 65 parts per hundred rubber (phr) and EPDM/NR blending ratios with variations of 100/0, 80/20, 60/40, 40/60, 20/80, and 0/100 phr. Vulcanization characteristics of the samples are obtained through rheometer testing, while crosslink density is measured using the equilibrium swelling method. Physical and mechanical properties are evaluated through tests for tensile strength, tear strength, hardness, abrasion resistance, and density. Aging tests are conducted to determine changes in vulcanizate properties due to heat exposure over a specific period. The results of the first stage of the research indicate that increasing the CB content from 45 to 65 phr can improve the tensile strength (2.42%), modulus 200 (21.10%), tear strength (27.58%), elongation percentage (45.84%), hardness (9.31%), and abrasion resistance (73.57%). Although in the second stage, blending EPDM/NR with a ratio of 80/20 phr did not show significant effects on tensile strength and modulus 200, it did enhance tear strength (13.79%) and elongation percentage (68.45%) of the vulcanizate. Moreover, the EPDM/NR (80/20) blend exhibited lower percentage changes in properties after aging (tensile strength 1.98%, modulus 200 8.29%, and elongation percentage 7.56%) compared to NR vulcanizate (tensile strength 8.75%, modulus 200 13.53%, and elongation percentage 28.02%).