Effect of liquid polybutadiene rubber on processability and fatigue resistance of cis-1,4-butadiene rubber /natural rubber blends

Effects of liquid polybutadiene rubber activity-50 on the processability and fatigue resistance of cis-1,4-polybutadiene rubber (BR)/natural rubber (NR) blends were investigated. The fatigue resistance of vulcanizates was investigated from the perspective of fatigue crack propagation using crack growth test platform and finite element ABAQUS/CAE. The results showed that activity-50 could reduce the storage modulus and viscosity of the rubber blend, and the addition of activity-50 in the rubber blending process could improve the processability of the system. Adding 2 phr and 4 phr of active-50 could reduce the crack growth rate. When the amount of active-50 continued to increase, the crack would accelerate. Adding an appropriate amount of activity-50 could improve the processability and fatigue resistance of BR/NR blend.