Application of agricultural waste product as filler in natural rubber industry and equilibrium sorption of the composite materials

Powered coconut fibre (CF) (PH=6.0; moisture content (%)=108, loss on ignition (%) (85°c)=34⁴⁰, conductivity (US/cm)=0.80, and surface area (cm²)=0.06 and powered coconut fibre carbon (CFC) (PH=6.2; moisture content (%)=5.80, loss on ignition (%)(85°C)=61.27, conductivity (Ms/cm)=0.86, and surface area (cm²)=0.87) were incorporated as filler into natural rubber using a laboratory size two-roll mixing mill. Monsanto rheometer was used to determine the cure and processing characteristics of the compound mixes. The physico-mechanical testing of the natural rubber vulcanizates involves tensile strength, modulus, elongation at break, compression set, hardness and Abrasion resistance. The equilibrium sorption of the vulcanizate using organic solvent was investigated. Coconut fibre carbon exhibits better properties than coconut fibre, though, still inferior to commercial filler (N330) with regard to tensile strength and modulus. Overall results indicate that CF and CFC can be used as low-cost filler for natural rubber materials where improved mechanical properties are not critical.