Comparative Investigation of Epoxy-Terminated and Carboxyl-Terminated Butadiene Nitrile Rubber for Toughened Epoxy Resins

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, School of Advanced Engineering, Bidholi Campus, UPES, Dehradun, India

2 Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, School of Advanced Engineering, Bidholi Campus, UPES

3 Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, School of Advanced Engineering, Bidholi Campus, UPES, Dehradun, India – 248007

4 Mechanical Engineering Department, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Bennett University, Greater Noida, UP, India – 201310

Abstract

The research presents how Carboxyl Terminated Butadiene Nitrile (CTBN) and Epoxy Terminated Butadiene Nitrile (ETBN) types of Reactive Liquid Rubber (RLR) influence epoxy resins through rheological and thermal and mechanical property assessments. The use of recycled waste rubber creates sustainable high-performance additives through waste material transformation. Various mechanical, thermal and rheological tests assessed the effects of CTBN and ETBN concentrations on their viscosity behaviour, mechanical properties and curing process of the epoxy system used. The thermal stability of the ETBN and CTBN systems was analyzed by using Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) to determine decomposition temperatures and stability measurements. A complete set of mechanical tests measured tensile strength, flexural strength and impact strength. Toughness improvements reached their peak with 2.5 wt.% ETBN addition resulting in a 42.2% increase in ultimate tensile strength and a 103.8% increase in tensile modulus and a 26.9% improvement in toughness and a 67.65% increase in impact strength while maintaining all other properties. The investigation highlights how the termination chemistry affects phase separation and interfacial adhesion, ultimately leading to improved performance for its applications in automotive and aerospace industries. The innovative use of recycled ETBN and CTBN, thus creates a way for development of sustainable solutions that delivers economic benefits and environmental advantages.

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Main Subjects

Mechanics of Advanced Composite Structures

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 15 February 2026

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