POLYMER COMPOSITES, vol.35, no.2, pp.245-252, 2014 (SCI-Expanded)
Bio-based polymers and fillers draw a significant interest. Focus of this work is to use ground pistachio shell as alternative filler in a model natural rubber/styrene-butadiene rubber-based conveyor belt compound. Compounds were prepared using a laboratory two-roll mill by partial replacing of carbon black with pistachio shell. Cure characteristics, mechanical, thermal, morphological, and abrasion properties of pistachio shell containing vulcanizates have been studied. Increasing pistachio shell loading causes lower cure extent and lower tensile strength. However, abrasion resistance is significantly improved by incorporation of pistachio shell. Benefits of using pistachio shell as filler may include producing low price, environmentally friendly, and high abrasion resistant vulcanizates when some loses in tensile properties can be tolerated. POLYM. COMPOS., 35:245-252, 2014. (c) 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers