Modification of alternative additives and their effect on the rubber properties

The present paper deals with a targeted modification of two kinds of alternative additives - waste from glass production and natural mineral filler and explores their effect on the properties of polymeric materials. In the function of first alternative filler was used sludge from weighing the ingredients of glass batch in the glass production. The second used was natural aluminosilicate material based on zeolite (clinoptilolite). These alternative fillers have been modified in order to increase its efficiency, using the silanes: 3-aminopropyl-triethoxysilane, bis(triethoxysilyl)propyl-tetrasulfide and 3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl-methacrylate. In the case of alternative filler based on zeolite the influence of silanization conditions on the filler efficiency have been also studied. Prepared modified fillers were mixed into rubber compounds as partial replacement of commonly used filler – carbon black. The influence of prepared fillers on rheology and curing characteristics of rubber compounds and also on physical and mechanical properties of vulcanizates has been studied. Obtained results of measured characteristics of polymeric systems containing prepared alternative fillers were compared with the results obtained in the case of reference rubber compound with a commertially used filler – carbon black.