Nitrile-butadiene rubber composites with improved electromechanical properties obtained by modification of BaTiO3 with co-deposited catechol/polyamine and silane grafting

In this study, a highly efficient and cost-effective approach was developed to improve the electromechanical properties of nitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR). BaTiO3 (BT) nanoparticles were firstly co-deposited with poly(catechol/polyamine) (PCPA) then grafted with γ-methacryloxypropyl trimethoxy silane (KH570) to form BT-PCPA-KH570 core-shell nanoparticles. The CC in KH570 participated in vulcanization with NBR rubber during crosslinking process to yield improved dispersions and interfacial interactions. This, in turn, enhanced the dielectric and electromechanical properties, as well as the dielectric strengths. The 50 phr BT-PCPA-KH570/NBR composites exhibited an actuated strain of 21.9%, which was ~4.36-folds higher than that of pure NBR (5.0%). Overall, the proposed modification route looks promising in industry for other dielectric fillers based high-performance dielectric elastomers. [Display omitted] •The BT-PCPA-KH570 dielectric nanoparticles were prepared.•The CPCPA-KH570 improved dispersions and interfacial interactions of NBR composites.•The NBR composites exhibited an actuated strain of 21.8%.•The proposed modification route looks promising in industry.