Sustainable production of recycled rubber waste composites with various epoxy systems: A comparative study on mechanical and thermal properties

In this study, ethylene-propylene-diene monomer rubber (EPDM) and tire waste powder (TW) were selected as filling materials for toughening various epoxy matrices, lowering composite materials costs and converting these wastes into valuable resources. Two types of bisphenol-A epoxy resins (ER1 and ER1diluted), and three types of epoxy resin blend systems with ER1diluted, CTBN rubber modified (ER2), and polyurethane modified (ER3) epoxies in 1:1 wt ratio were used as matrices. The effects of the rubber ratio and type, also the epoxy matrix on the composite properties were investigated. The TW composites' mechanical and thermal properties were higher than those of the EPDM composites. The best results for resin mixtures were obtained with ER3. The most suitable filling ratio of EPDM and TW varied between 20% and 30% by weight, depending on the matrix type. TW addition increased the impact strength of the ER1diluted and ER3-ER1diluted epoxy matrices. In terms of mechanical properties, the low ambient temperature was found to be more suitable than an aqueous medium.