Low-Temperature Carbonized Elastomer-Based Composites Filled with Silicon Carbide.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Composite Materials

Background:

• Elastomeric matrices offer flexibility but often lack thermal stability and mechanical strength.
• Silicon carbide (SiC) particles are known for their hardness, high thermal conductivity, and thermal stability.
• Combining elastomers with SiC particles can potentially create composites with enhanced properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the development of thermally stable composites using low-temperature carbonization.
• To study the effect of varying silicon carbide (SiC) filler content on composite properties.
• To evaluate the mechanical and thermal characteristics of the resulting composites.

Main Methods:

• Low-temperature carbonization of elastomeric matrix composites filled with silicon carbide (SiC) particles.
• Microstructural analysis during thermal degradation and carbonization.
• Mechanical testing (compressive strength, Young's modulus) at various SiC loadings.
• Thermal property evaluation, including thermal conductivity across a temperature range.

Main Results:

• Composites demonstrated high thermal stability after low-temperature carbonization.
• Highly filled composites (up to 450 parts per hundred rubber) achieved compressive strength > 200 MPa and Young's modulus > 15 GPa.
• Thermal conductivity remained stable (up to 1.6 W/(m·K)) between 25 °C and 300 °C.

Conclusions:

• The developed SiC-filled elastomeric composites exhibit excellent mechanical strength and thermal stability.
• Stable thermal conductivity over a wide temperature range makes them suitable for demanding applications.
• These composites represent a viable alternative to reinforced polymers for strained friction units.