Document No.: TR-2026-06-12
Release Date: June 12, 2026
Applicable Industries: Tires, Seals, Hoses, Conveyor Belts, Molded Products
Technical Scope: Nano-platelet structure, high reinforcement, high gas barrier, wear and aging resistance, high loading and low cost
Executive Summary
This report systematically describes the technical characteristics and application value of Nano-Reinforcing Filler PF87 (GreenThinking® series). This product is a flaky, soft nano-scale reinforcing agent, derived from natural composite minerals through nano-modification and surface activation treatment, with a median particle size D50 = 153 nm. Its reinforcement effect is close to that of carbon black N550, while combining the reinforcing properties of precipitated silica with the processing advantages of high loading and low hardness.
Based on measured data from applications such as tire inner liners, NBR seals, and EPDM extruded hoses (e.g., tensile strength up to 20.32 MPa in sulfur-cured NBR system, compression set as low as 10.34%), this report demonstrates the product’s ability to balance performance and cost when replacing traditional carbon black, precipitated silica, kaolin, and calcium carbonate. Furthermore, PF87 can be customized in terms of formulation design and process validation according to the customer’s rubber matrix (natural rubber, synthetic rubber, PVC, CPE, etc.) and performance targets (gas barrier, abrasion resistance, aging resistance, flame retardant synergy, etc.).
Core value: Helps customers reduce compound cost by 10%–30%, improve processing flowability, extend product service life, and meet quality management system requirements such as IATF 16949.
1. Current Situation and Background: The Dilemma of Rubber Filler Selection and Performance Deviation
In the rubber industry, the choice of reinforcing filler directly affects mechanical properties, processability, and cost. Traditional solutions have inherent contradictions:
- Carbon black (N550, etc.) : High reinforcement, but price fluctuates significantly; high loading leads to sharp hardness increase, high heat build up, and color limitation (only black).
- Precipitated silica : Excellent reinforcement, but difficult to disperse; requires silane coupling agents, high mixing energy consumption, and high Mooney viscosity.
- Kaolin / calcium carbonate : Low cost, but poor reinforcement; acts only as an extender, unable to improve key mechanical indicators.
The industry commonly faces a “service life deviation” : initial physical properties meet specifications, but after long term thermo-oxidative aging, dynamic fatigue, or media contact, strength and wear resistance degrade too quickly. Most customers focus only on basic filler indicators (particle size, specific surface area) while neglecting the influence of microscopic morphology, surface activity, and lamellar structure on long term stability.
Technical positioning of PF87 : Through nano scale flaky structure and surface activation treatment, it provides a balanced solution with reinforcement close to carbon black, better processability than precipitated silica, and lower cost than imported high end fillers.
Here, leading Rubber Functional filler Manufacturers China and Rubber Functional filler Suppliers China have developed PF87 as a next generation product. Likewise, Rubber filler Manufacturers China and Rubber filler Suppliers China are increasingly offering PF87 as a versatile Rubber filler to replace carbon black N550 in many formulations.
| Stress Type | Typical Source | Requirement for Filler Performance |
| Thermo-oxidation | Engine compartment, rolling heat build up | Filler must inhibit matrix aging and maintain crosslink density |
| Dynamic compression/flexing | Repeated seal deformation, tire flexing | Reinforcing filler should reduce hysteresis heat and improve fatigue resistance |
| Gas internal pressure | Tire pressure retention, pneumatic sealing | Flaky filler structure creates “labyrinth effect” to reduce permeability |
| Oil / chemical media | Oil seal contacting lubricant, fuel | Filler surface oleophobic treatment improves swelling resistance |
2. Coupled Stress Matrix: Key Failure Mechanisms for Seals and Dynamic Products
In applications such as tire inner liners, oil seals, and hoses, products endure multiple stresses: heat, oxygen, dynamic deformation, oil media, and air pressure retention.
Advantage of PF87 : Its flaky structure and high porosity create a tortuous path in the rubber matrix, significantly improving gas barrier (measured permeability coefficient reduced by >7%, see tire inner liner data). At the same time, the nano size (D50 = 153 nm) provides reinforcement similar to precipitated silica, improving wear and fatigue resistance.
Specifically, PF87 acts as an excellent nano filler for tire inner liner gas barrier, and it is also a cost effective alternative to precipitated silica in many non tire applications. For EPDM compounds, its surface activated nature makes it a perfect surface activated nano mineral filler for epdm.
3. Micro-Mechanisms and Performance Comparison Matrix: Structure–Property Relationship of PF87
3.1 Core Product Characteristics
PF87 is specially nano modified and surface activated. Main physical and chemical indicators (from TDS) are as follows:
| Parameter | Typical Value | Test Method |
| Median particle size D50 (nm) | 153 | Laser diffraction |
| D10 (nm) | 73 | – |
| D90 (μm) | 3.394 | – |
| Specific surface area (m²/kg) | 43609 | Calculated |
| Whiteness (GEM) | 71 | – |
| pH (aqueous solution) | 5.95 | AFS113-87-S |
| Moisture content | 0.91% | AFSC-566 |
| Chemical composition: SiO₂ | 50.30% | Chemical analysis |
| Al₂O₃ | 34.50% | – |
| TiO₂ | 1.60% | – |
Mechanism interpretation :
- Flaky structure : Particles are flat; after orientation, they prolong the gas/liquid permeation path, improving gas barrier and reducing compression set.
- Nano-scale particle size : Comparable to precipitated silica (>100 nm), providing sufficient reinforcement while avoiding excessive agglomeration.
- Surface activation treatment : Improves compatibility with rubber matrix, enhances dispersion, and extends scorch time (TS2 extended to 66–77 seconds in NBR sulfur system).
- High hardness adjustability : Every 8–10 phr increases hardness by 1 Shore A, facilitating formulation fine tuning.
3.2 Performance Comparison Matrix: PF87 vs. Traditional Fillers
| Property | Carbon Black N550 | Precipitated Silica | Kaolin | PF87 |
| Reinforcement (tensile strength) | High (baseline) | Very high | Low | Close to N550 (NBR sulfur: 20.32 MPa) |
| Processing Mooney viscosity | Medium | High (needs coupling agent) | Low | Low (NBR sulfur ML=0.82-1.05) |
| Gas barrier | Fair | Fair | Poor | Excellent (permeability coefficient reduced by 7%) |
| Abrasion resistance | Excellent | Excellent | Poor | Good (better than kaolin, close to N550) |
| Heat aging resistance | Medium | Excellent | Poor | Excellent (strength retention >80% after 120°C×70h) |
| Compression set | Medium | Excellent | Poor | Excellent (≤17% at 100°C×24h) |
| High loading capability | Low (hardness spikes) | Medium | High | High (recommended 30-150 phr, hardness rises gradually) |
| Relative cost | High | High | Low | Medium (can partially replace carbon black, reducing total cost) |
Data support : In NBR sulfur system, PF87 formulation achieves tensile strength 20.32 MPa and compression set only 10.34%, outperforming some traditional fillers.
4. Empirical Validity Boundaries: Key Performance Data and Test Limitations
4.1 Tire Inner Liner Application (Partial Replacement of N660)
In brominated butyl rubber system, 20 phr PF87 was used to replace part of N660. Test results (curing at 151°C×30 min):
| Property | Control Formulation | PF87 Formulation | Trend |
| Mooney viscosity ML(1+4)100°C | 56.3 | 53.6 | ↓ Better processability |
| Scorch time t5 (min) @125°C | 29.8 | 29.3 | Essentially unchanged |
| Tensile strength (MPa) | 10.1 | 10.9 | ↑ +7.9% |
| Permeability coefficient (×10⁻¹⁴) | 16.53 | 15.43 | ↓ -6.7% (gas barrier improved) |
| Flex fatigue (500k cycles) | Grade 0 crack | Grade 0 crack | Equivalent |
Conclusion : PF87 improves processing flowability and gas barrier while maintaining mechanical properties and fatigue life. This demonstrates clearly that Rubber filler improves gas barrier of butyl rubber compounds – PF87 serves as an excellent Rubber filler for oil resistant nbr seals as well, as shown below.
4.2 NBR Sulfur System (Oil Seals / Sealing Components)
| Product | Hardness Shore A | Tensile Strength (MPa) | Elongation (%) | Compression Set (100°C×24h) | Surface Resistivity (Ω) |
| PF87 | 68 | 20.32 | 689 | 10.34% | 7.65×10¹² |
| PF81 | 67 | 13.34 | 710 | 13.79% | 5.78×10¹² |
| PF91 | 68 | 15.27 | 664 | 10.34% | 1.14×10¹⁴ |
| PF93 | 69 | 14.91 | 689 | 10.34% | 6.57×10¹² |
PF87 shows the highest tensile strength and extremely low compression set in NBR, making it suitable for dynamic sealing applications. It is therefore a preferred Rubber filler for oil resistant nbr seals.
Test limitation note : The above data are based on standard curing conditions and laboratory slabs. In actual production, factors such as filler dispersion, mixing process (shear force, discharge temperature), and curing system compatibility may cause performance variations. Customers are advised to conduct process validation before mass production.
5. Process Consistency Control: Key Points from Formulation to Mass Production
As a surface activated nano filler, PF87’s advantages can only be fully realized with uniform dispersion and stable processing. The following control points deserve attention:
- Dispersion testing : Use SEM or particle size analyzer to monitor filler agglomerate size; requirement ≤5 μm.
- Mooney viscosity control : Different PF series products affect Mooney differently (e.g., PF87 formulation ML=53.6, better than control). Establish batch to batch Mooney variation range (±3).
- Curing characteristics monitoring : PF87 can extend scorch time (TC10 from 53 s to 67 s in NBR sulfur system), providing a safety window for injection molding/extrusion; it also shortens optimum cure time (TC90 from 146 s to 116 s), increasing production efficiency.
- Hardness adjustment formula : Every 8 10 phr of PF87 increases hardness by about 1 Shore A, facilitating formulation fine tuning.
Process services : On site trial guidance available, including internal mixer/open mill mixing parameters, extruder screw configuration, and curing temperature optimization.
Moreover, because high loading flake filler reduces compound cost, PF87 enables significant savings while maintaining or even improving performance.
6. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Engineering: High Loading Cost Reduction and Performance Enhancement
For rubber product companies with annual consumption of hundreds of tons, switching fillers has a significant impact on total cost. PF87’s high loading capability (recommended 30–150 phr) allows substantial replacement of higher priced carbon black or precipitated silica while maintaining low hardness.
| Cost/Benefit Dimension | Traditional Solution (Carbon Black/Silica) | PF87 Solution | Quantitative Difference |
| Filler unit price | Baseline | Slightly lower or similar | Depends on market |
| Mixing energy consumption | High (silica requires two pass mixing) | Low (easy dispersion, single pass) | Energy reduction 15–20% |
| Mold wear | Medium (carbon black/silica) | Low (soft flaky structure) | Extended mold life |
| Product yield | Affected by poor dispersion | Excellent dispersion, fewer defects | Yield improvement 3–5% |
| Service life | Baseline | Gas barrier/aging improvement, life extended 20%+ | Longer replacement cycle |
Customer case : A European seal manufacturer replaced part of carbon black N550 in an NBR formulation with 30 phr PF87, reducing material cost by 12% while lowering compression set from 22% to 15%, and passed customer bench testing.
Thus, PF87 is not only a high performance filler but also a proven cost effective alternative to precipitated silica and a direct Rubber filler to replace carbon black N550 in many compounds.
7. Technical FAQ (Covering Real Search Intent)
Q1: Can PF87 completely replace precipitated silica in high abrasion products?
A: PF87’s reinforcement is close to carbon black N550; compared to precipitated silica it is slightly lower, but it performs more balanced in abrasion resistance, heat aging, and compression set. For non extreme abrasion requirements (e.g., general industrial tires, conveyor belt cover compounds), PF87 can replace 30–70% of carbon black, reduce cost, and improve processability. Complete replacement should be verified according to specific abrasion index testing.
Q2: What is the recommended loading range of PF87 in different rubber systems?
A: General recommendation 30–150 phr. Specifics: tire inner liner 20–40 phr (blended with carbon black), NBR oil seals 50–100 phr, EPDM extruded hoses 80–120 phr, natural rubber conveyor belts 30–80 phr. At high loading, adjust curing system and peptizers accordingly.
Q3: Can PF87 improve flame retardancy of rubber products?
A: PF87 contains aluminum (Al₂O₃ 34.5%) and silicon, inherently acting as an inorganic flame retardant synergist. When used together with aluminum hydroxide or magnesium hydroxide, it promotes char formation and reduces heat release rate. Customers have successfully applied PF87 as a flame retardant synergist in EN 45545 2 HL3 projects.
Q4: Do you support customised surface treatment for special requirements (e.g., low odor, high electrical insulation, food contact)?
A: Yes. The PF series includes different activation grades such as PF81, PF82, PF91, PF93, offering hydrophobic, oleophobic, high insulation, low odor, etc. Special grades can also be matched to customer’s curing system (peroxide, sulfur, radiation).
8. Technical Capability Summary
| Capability Dimension | Specific Evidence |
| Mature product | PF87 annual capacity thousands of tons; already in volume supply to tire, seal, hose customers |
| Custom development | Equipped with nano particle size analyzer, Mooney viscometer, curemeter, universal tester, aging oven, gas permeability tester |
| Quality system | IATF 16949 certified (design and production of rubber compounds and flame retardants) |
| Technical support | Formulation design, process optimization, on site trial guidance, third party testing assistance |
| Fast response | Samples in 5–7 working days; custom formulations in 2–4 weeks |
9. Technical Support and Contact
For the following support, please contact the Technology Center:
- Obtain PF87 detailed TDS, MSDS, samples, and reference formulations
- Custom solutions for tire inner liners, oil seals, hoses, conveyor belts
- Cost optimization and performance improvement evaluation for existing formulations
- Factory audit and mixing process guidance
Contact:
Website: www.sanezenrubber.com
Tel: +86 21 6487 9251
Email: yorichen@sanezen.com
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