Utilization of Leather Waste Fibers in Polymer Matrix Composites Based on Acrylonitrile-Butadiene Rubber

In this study, we present the fabrication of nitrile butadiene rubber/waste leather fiber (NBR/WLF) composites with different weight percentages of WLF and NBR (0/100, 20/80, 30/70, 40/60, 50/50, 60/40 wt/wt). WLF was prepared by cutting the scrap leathers from the waste product of the Vietnamese leather industry. Subsequently, in order to make the short fibers, it was mixed by a hammer mill. The characteristics of WLF/NBR composites such as mechanical properties (tensile strength, tear strength, hardness), dynamic mechanical properties, toluene absorption, and morphology were carefully evaluated. As a result, the tensile strength and tear strength become larger with increasing WLF content from 0 to 50 wt% and they decrease when further increasing WLF content. The highest tensile strength of 12.5 MPa and tear strength of 72.47 N/mm were achieved with the WLF/NBR ratio of 50/50 wt%. Both hardness and resistance of the developed materials with toluene increased with increasing WLF content. The SEM results showed a good adhesion of NBR matrix and the WLF. The increasing of storage modulus (E’) in comparison with raw NBR showed good compatibility between WLF and NBR matrix. This research showed that the recycled material from waste leather and NBR was successfully prepared and has great potential for manufacturing products such as floor covering courts and playgrounds, etc.