Novel in situ coordinated cerium salt/acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber composite

A novel rubber composite of acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR) filled with cerium salt particles was vulcanized via in situ coordination for the first time. The resulting materials exhibit good mechanical properties. Curing characteristics analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, tensile testing, and an equilibrium swelling method were used for the characterization of the composite. The results in this paper indicate that the composite is a kind of elastomer based on the in situ coordination crosslinking interactions between the nitrile groups (–CN) of NBR and cerium ions. The mechanical properties of vulcanized cerium salt/ NBR rubber are altered when changing the sorts of cerium salt. Moreover, these materials show good irradiation resistance because of the introduction of the cerium salt. -- Highlights: ► Cerium salts were firstly used to vulcanize the acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber. ► Cerium salts act as not only crosslink agents but also reinforcing fillers in the matrix. ► These materials show good irradiation resistance and mechanical properties at same time.