Development of Elasto-Plastic Eco-Nano-Materials for Footwear Industry

The paper refers to the obtaining of new types of eco-nano elasto-plastic materials with high-performance characteristics based on ethylene-propylene-terpolymer rubber (EPDM), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), plasticized starch and organically modified montmorillonite (OMMT). The new materials were obtained by the technique of dynamic vulcanization and melt intercalation in a Plasti-Corder Brabender internal mixer, at 80 rpm and a temperature of 170°C. The influence of using the OMMT type nanofiller and the plasticized starch filler on the characteristics was observed. The new materials have a melt flow index of over 12g/10 min at 180°C for a force of 10 kg, which allows injection processing - an ecological method of processing polymeric materials. The samples show very good physical-mechanical characteristics both in the normal state and after accelerated aging at 168 hours at 170°C (tensile strength over 16 N/ mm2, tear strength over 102 N/mm, hardness 55-59°ShD, elasticity over 30%, etc.). The materials show high values of abrasion resistance (below 30 mm3), and very good results for mass and volume variation after 22 hours at 23°C in: water, acids and concentrated bases. These characteristics are due both to the composition of the new materials and to the obtaining technology. For evaluating the structural modification, analysis of the FT-IR spectral of the samples was carried out. The new materials can be used in different fields such as: in the footwear industry (soles, heels and plates), safety equipment (boots, etc), obtaining gaskets, hoses, technical rubber products for cars etc.