Influence of carbon black and plasticisers on dynamic properties of isotropic magnetosensitive natural rubber

The dynamic shear modulus of magnetosensitive (MS) natural rubber composites is experimentally studied, where influences of carbon black, plasticiser and iron particle concentrations are investigated at various dynamic shear strain amplitudes and external magnetic fields within the lower structure borne frequency range. The iron particles embedded in natural rubber are irregularly shaped and randomly distributed; the plasticisers simplify the iron particle blending process, while carbon black reduces the production costs and improves the mechanical properties. The results show that the relative MS effect on the shear modulus magnitude increases with increased plasticiser and iron particle concentration and decreases with increased carbon black concentration. Furthermore, their relative contributions are quantified. Consequently, the study provides a basis for optimising the composition of MS natural rubber to meet a variety of requirements, including those of vibration isolation, a promising application area for MS materials.