Abstract

The application of carbon-silica dual phase fillers (CSDPF) to natural rubber compound was investigated. It was found that these new fillers give significantly better overall performances in comparison with the conventional fillers—carbon black and silica. In a typical truck-tread compound, due to its high polymer—filler interaction and lower filler—filler interaction, the CSDPF E shows a comparable laboratory abrasion resistance and more than 40% reduction in tan δ at 70 °C, a parameter for rolling resistance, compared to compound filled with its carbon black counterpart, N1 10. These properties can, to a certain degree, be further improved by the addition of a small amount of coupling agent, bis(3-triethoxysilylpropyl)tetrasulfane (TESPT). In the case of wet skid resistance measured using the British Portable Skid Tester, the data show that CSDPF gives better performance than the conventional fillers, with and without coupling agent.