INCORPORATING RECOVERED CARBON BLACK INTO SOLID TYRE TREAD COMPOUNDS
W. R. R. Chamodani1*, J. C. Jayawarna2, and A. D. Weerakoon3
1,3 Polymer and Chemical Engineering Technology Division, Institute of Technology University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, 2LAUGFS Corporation (Rubber) Ltd, Sri Lanka.
Session: Technical Session A
Abstract
This paper presents the experimental results obtained from a study on incorporating recovered Carbon Black (rCB) produced from the pyrolysis process of end-of-life tyres into solid tyre tread compounds. The purpose of this study is to expand technical knowledge on the use of rCB as a sustainable alternative to virgin carbon black (vCB). The primary objective is to contribute to environmental sustainability by reducing reliance on commercial grade-N330 CB and promoting circular economy practices within the rubber industry. Earlier studies have shown that rCB has lower reinforcement properties compared to vCB and vCB cannot be completely replaced with rCB. Therefore, in this study the effect of rCB incorporation on the rheological and mechanical properties of the solid tyre tread compound was assessed and compared with those obtained from vCB (N330) alone as the controlled sample. The RCB sourced from an Indian supplier was evaluated through incremental addition of RCB in addition to the existing N330 phr level in the formulation at 5, 10, 15, and 20 phr levels. According to the results, with the increase in rCB loading mechanical properties and rheological properties of the compounds were lower than those of the vCB loaded compounds. Despite this, interesting performances can be achieved when rCB is incorporated into formulations at 10 phr in additon or by replacing the N330 load from 10 phr of rCB in the compounds. The mechanical and rheological properties of the 10 phr rCB reinforced compounds matched those of 100% vCB reinforced compounds. The study concludes that a combination of rCB and conventional CB grade- N330 can be used to achieve an optimal balance of reinforcement and desired properties, supporting the use of rCB as a viable alternative in tyre tread compounds.
Keywords: circular economy, environmental sustainability, recovered carbon black, tread compound, virgin carbon black
DOI: 10.64752/SKRZ7856