Design and Performance Analysis of Natural Rubber–Silica Nanocomposite Vibration Isolators for Household Appliances

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This is an unedited manuscript accepted for publication and provided as an Article in Press for early access at the author’s request. The article will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and galley proof review before final publication. Please be aware that errors may be identified during production that could affect the content. All legal disclaimers of the journal apply.

Year : 2026 | Volume : 14 | 03 | Page :
    By

    Maya M. Charde,

  • Amol J. Asalekar,

  • Vishal A. Bhosale,

  1. Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT Academy of Engineering, Alandi, Pune, Maharashtra, India
  2. Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT Academy of Engineering, Alandi, Pune, Maharashtra, India
  3. Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT Academy of Engineering, Alandi, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Abstract

Natural rubber (NR) nanocomposites reinforced with surface-modified precipitated silica (SiO2) were synthesized through a two-roll mill compounding and compression-moulding process, then systematically evaluated as passive vibration isolator materials for domestic washing machine applications. Five silica loadings—0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 phr—were investigated. A comprehensive characterization suite encompassing tensile testing, Shore A hardness, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed clear structure–property relationships. At the optimal loading of 10 phr silica, Young’s modulus reached 4.3 MPa and tensile strength 19.6 MPa; tan d at 20 Hz was 0.18, indicating a twofold improvement in damping over neat NR (tan d = 0.09). Transmissibility ratio calculations based on DMA-derived viscoelastic parameters confirmed vibration attenuation of 63–71% at washing machine spin frequencies (15–25 Hz), outperforming the unfilled rubber baseline by up to 24 percentage points. Thermal analysis showed a 5% degradation temperature (T50) of 342°C at 10 phr, an improvement of 18°Cover neat NR. SEM confirmed uniform nano-silica dispersion and strong filler–matrix interfacial adhesion at this loading. These results establish nano-silica reinforcement as a cost-effective, scalable strategy for tailoring the viscoelastic response of NR isolator pads in domestic appliance mounting systems.

Keywords: Polymer nanocomposites, natural rubber, nano-silica, thermal stability, composite characterization.

How to cite this article:
Maya M. Charde, Amol J. Asalekar, Vishal A. Bhosale. Design and Performance Analysis of Natural Rubber–Silica Nanocomposite Vibration Isolators for Household Appliances. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(03):-.
How to cite this URL:
Maya M. Charde, Amol J. Asalekar, Vishal A. Bhosale. Design and Performance Analysis of Natural Rubber–Silica Nanocomposite Vibration Isolators for Household Appliances. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(03):-. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/jopc/article=2026/view=244754


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Ahead of Print Subscription Original Research
Volume 14
03
Received 29/04/2026
Accepted 20/05/2026
Published 22/05/2026
Publication Time 23 Days
24

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