AUTHOR=Valentini Luca , Lopez-Manchado Miguel Angel TITLE=Rubber Nanocomposites for Extreme Environments: Critics and Counterintuitive Solutions JOURNAL=Frontiers in Materials VOLUME=5 YEAR=2018 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/materials/articles/10.3389/fmats.2018.00049 DOI=10.3389/fmats.2018.00049 ISSN=2296-8016 ABSTRACT=

Elastomers are traditionally used in industrial components due to their low cost, flexibility, good processability and light weight solutions as metal parts replacement. Nowadays, some critical aspects remain unsolved mainly if their application in extreme environments is demanded; for example the development of high performance elastomeric materials working in high pressure and temperature environments like those of oil and gas extraction environment is still challenging; moreover, in extreme locations where also the extreme conditions such icing problems become hazardous, the extraction activities are limited as well as in transportation where bearing seals mounted on aircraft components are subjected to icing problems a solution is required. All these applications will require the exploitation of new and novel polymers and new and novel reinforcement systems. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are being evaluated and are in some use today, but graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and its many derivatives offer an opportunity to develop novel high performance materials crucial to nowadays and future industrial applications. In a growing fields of applications such elastomeric nanocomposites target the permeability reduction to prevent blistering, the reduction of the stress cracking, and the capability to retain tensile strength at high temperature and pressure. This perspective will address this need by indicating new multifunctional elastomeric nanocomposites (elastomer plus carbon nanotubes and graphite nanoplatelets) combined with superior barrier and mechanical properties.