Modeling Hyperelastic Behavior of Natural Rubber/Organomodified Kaolin Composites Oleochemically Derived from Tea Seed Oils (Camellia sinensis) for Automobile Tire Side Walls Application

This paper is on the modeling and prediction of limit stresses of Natural Rubber/Organomodified kaolin composites oleochemically derived from Tea Seed Oils (Camellia sinensis).The stress-strain data reports of Natural Rubber/Tea Seed Oil modified (NR/TSO) kaolin were used to develop hyperelastic models using ANSYS 14.0 work bench. Arruda-Boyce, Mooney-Rivlin 9 Parameter, Polynomial 3rd Order and Yeoh 3rdOrder models were found to give perfect fit for NR/TSO modified kaolin composites. The energy absorption capabilities were measured on the functions derived from stress-strain data to establish the toughness of Natural Rubber/Unmodified Kaolin (NR/UMK) and NR/TSO modified Kaolin. The NR/UMK has its approximate strain energy as 29.12MJ/m3 at 2 parts per hundred rubber (phr) while the NR/TSO kaolin composite has its approximate strain energy as 31.12MJ/m3. The orthogonal stresses, the principal stresses and yield stresses are found to be lower than the ultimate tensile strength of 0.7875MPa hence the material is safe within load range of its ultimate strength. Plane stress analysis with ANSYS APDL 14.0 gave limit stresses distribution in terms of von-Mises stresses in the range 0.781869MPa-0.792847MPa. The maximum principal stress is found to be higher than the ultimate tensile strength of 0.7875MPa hence the material is safely specified with load range of von Mises, 0.781869MPa-0.7875MPa. Finally it was observed that organomodification of kaolin with tea seed oil (TSO) increases the strength of Natural Rubber composites.