Molecular Weight Effects in Adsorption of Rubbers on Carbon Black

Abstract
The molecular weight dependence of the adsorption of polybutadiene on carbon black from a poor solvent, n-heptane, and bulk, i.e., the phenomenon of “bound rubber”, was investigated. For narrow distribution polymers the adsorption is proportional to Mn, where n = 0.14 for adsorption from n-heptane solution; n = 0.5 for adsorption from bulk. Anomalously low solution adsorption was observed for polymers of very high molecular weight (> 500,000). This is ascribed to a sieve effect by aggregates of carbon black particles which cannot be penetrated by the large molecular coils. In high structure blacks, which pack more loosely, and in large particle blacks, which form larger interstices between particles, onset of anomalous adsorption is shifted toward higher molecular weights.