Fabio José Esper

Technology Characterization of Organo-Clays Obtained from Bentonites of the State of Paraiba

The organo-clays have important industrial uses between others are: rheological additives for drilling fluids in oil bases, inks, glues, lubricants and cosmetics. At the moment and in a growing way, these materials are considered as important reinforcement fillers in the structuring of nano-composites clays/polymers. They are obtained by the smectite clay reaction with quaternary ammonium salts. In this work an organophillic clay sample prepared by a dry process at the PMT – EPUSP – Metallurgic and Materials Engineering Department of the Polytechnic School at the University of São Paulo, had been characterized basically by techniques of XRD, IR, Thermal Analysis, and by swell capacity of the clays in some oils and organic solvents.

Synthesis and Characterization of Organophilic Clay from Cuban Chiqui Gomez Bentonite

Smectites are clay mineral with a layered structure and nanometric thickness, high specific area and a huge variety of uses. Consisting on stacked layers of about 1nm thickness, including two silica tetrahedral and one octahedral sheet. Properties of natural Smectites can be enhanced by organic modification, due to the substitution of the exchangeable cations in the interlayer area. In fact, the properties of the modified smectite (organophilic clay) are related to its modified chemical composition and structural parameters. The interaction of smectite clays with surfactants has an important interest in the fields of drilling fluids, paints, cosmetic, ceramic industries and others. Recent applications are: remediation of contaminated areas and polymer/clay nanocomposites. The aim of this paper is to obtain organophilic clays using a bentonite from the Chiqui Gómez deposit in Central Cuba. The raw and organophilic clays were analyzed by DRX, SEM, swelling capacity in organic solvents and others.

Replacement of Carbon Black on Natural Rubber Composites and Nanocomposites — Part 1

Seeking to replace carbon-black as filler of rubber in the production of vulcanized goods, researchers from University of Sao Paulo have studied different materials types as minerals, vegetal or wastes agricultural and industry. Results of rubber composites filled with MA1 a waste of mineral treatment provided by Esper Industries are presented. MA1 was characterized through X-ray diffraction; Thermal analysis; Scanning Electronic Microscopy; and others laboratory methods. The composite and shaped masses were evaluated by these methods plus their mechanical properties such as tensile strength, elongation at break and hardness. Exceptional results were obtained in the mechanical properties evaluated, better than those obtained with the traditional carbon-black. Seeing the kind of material used as filler, it can conclude that the environmental benefit is present, as well as economic development, giving credibility to the use of these alternative material in replacement carbonblack.

Preparation and Characterization of Natural Rubber/Organophilic Clay Nanocomposites

Natural rubber/organophilic clay nanocomposites were prepared and characterized. A brown bentonite from Paraiba’s State, Brazil was modified with a sodium salt and treated with quaternary ammonium salt hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium chloride. The clay in its natural state, after cation exchange with sodium and after organophilization was characterized by XRD, IR, SEM, thermal analysis. Nanocomposite samples were prepared containing 10 resin percent of organophilic clay. The vulcanized samples were analyzed by XRD, SEM. The nanocomposites obtained showed improvement in their mechanical properties in comparison with samples without clay.

Nanoparticles of Carbonaceous Minerals in Vulcanized Rubber Products

The use of vulcanized rubber products is widely spread in the industry and in the society. Tires, shoes, tennis and other are examples of it. Most of the raw materials used in the formulations of vulcanized rubber products come from the synthesis of natural raw materials consuming time and energy and also generating CO2 emissions during the respective transforming processes. The main reinforcing material used in rubber formulations is the carbon-black which is a petroleum derivative obtained by the incomplete burning of the fossil fuel. This paper show some results obtained after replacing all or part of the carbon-black by carbonaceous nanoparticle minerals in rubber formulations.

Tire Rubber Powder/ Rice Husk Ash Polymer Compound

The advantage of the incorporation of tire rubber powder and rice husk ash in the polymer compound is mainly due to the reduction of the products cost, as well as improving the essential properties for a great processing of the material, for example, its flow into a hole of a thin wall mold. The rice husk ash can replaces the carbon black in the new products, contributing with the improvement of the environment and the economy of the society. Main objectives of this work are: enhance the applications of the ashes from the rice husk and the waste from the tire rubber, as well as, study new methods of recycling of polymeric wastes, to incorporate an aggregated value to the recycled materials as well as obtaining compounds or nanocompounds materials.