Every time a car brakes suddenly, an airplane lands, or a factory machine runs under intense pressure, one material quietly absorbs enormous stress without falling apart: reinforced rubber. It is used so widely that modern transportation and industrial systems would struggle to function without it. Yet scientists have spent decades debating a surprisingly basic question, why does adding carbon black particles make rubber so much stronger?
The study, headed by engineering professor David Simmons, delved into how microscopic carbon black particles reinforce soft rubber and enable it to survive intense physical tension. The outcomes published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
