Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-1-2015
Abstract
The compatibility of the properties of elastomer with conventional diesel fuel has made it favourable in many engineering applications. However, due to global energy insecurity issues, there is an urgent need to find alternative renewable sources of energy as replacements to conventional diesel. In this respect, biodiesel appears to be a promising candidate. Hence, research into the compatibility and fatigue characteristics of elastomers exposed to biodiesel becomes essential. The present paper introduces the first attempt to investigate the effect of different solvents on the fatigue of swollen elastomers. The filled nitrile rubbers are immersed in the palm biodiesel and conventional diesel to obtain the same degree of swelling prior to the application of uniaxial fatigue loading. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) analysis is carried out to observe the fracture surfaces. Stretch-N curves are plotted to illustrate the fatigue life duration. These curves showed that the fatigue lifetime of rubber is the longest for dry rubber and the least for rubber swollen in biodiesel. FESEM micrographs reveal that the loading conditions have no effect on the crack initiation and propagation patterns regardless of the swelling state. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords
Nitrile rubber, swollen rubber, fatigue damage, crack nucleation, biodiesel, filled natural-rubber, scanning-electron-microscopy, loading conditions, crack growth, life, nucleation, biodiesel, mechanism, surfaces, damage
Divisions
fac_eng
Funders
Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia through High Impact Research Grant MOHE-HIR D000008-16001 University of Malaya (UM) ,Embassy of France in Malaysia
Publication Title
International Journal of Fatigue
Volume
74
Additional Information
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