This research was focused on the role of ND as a state of the art carbon based nanoparticle on the network structure and
curing kinetics of NR/SBR rubber blends prepared by mechanical mixing and vulcanized by three different curing systems
namely CV, SEV and EV. Uniform dispersion of ND throughout the rubber matrix was confirmed by FESEM microphotographs.
It was found that incorporation of ND in rubber compounds resulted in the higher crosslink density of vulcanizates
and development of strong rubber-filler interactions mainly by chemical linkages at the interface. The influence of ND on
crosslink density enhancement of vulcanizates was found to be more profound in SEV cured sample due to an optimum rubber
segment length between chemical crosslinks in the network providing adequate interactions between rubber chains and
filler surface. The curing characteristics of rubber compounds in presence of ND showed a lower scorch time and higher curing
rate with lower activation energy in all vulcanizates that was attributed to the TBBS adsorption on ND surface as well as
higher thermal conductivity of ND filled samples. Based on the Han’s model, it was found that thermally stable sulfur linkages
were promoted in presence of ND, leading to the improvement of reversion behavior of the vulcanizates