1 VALUE ADDITION TO WASTE ACRYLONITRILE BUTADIENE RUBBER THROUGH NANOTECHNOLOGY APPLICATION W D R Wijesinghe 1 * and U N Ratnayake 2 1 Dept. of Chemistry, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka. 2 Rubber Research Institute, Telawala Road, Ratmalana, Sri Lanka. A waste acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) generated from one of a leading glove manufacturing companies was value added through layered silicate based nanotechnology in order to obtain a rubber nanocomposite with good physio-mechanical properties. Initially, waste NBR was characterized with Fourier Transform Infrared-Attenuated Total Reflectance (FTIR-ATR) and process based characterization techniques. Characterization results revealed that waste NBR is carboxylated and it also contains a significant quantity of sulfur and accelerator. The waste NBR was blended with an optimum quantity of natural rubber (NR) in view of achieving good cure characteristics and processability. The NBR/NR blend was reinforced with 30 phr of carbon black (CB) and organically modified montmorillonite clay (OMMT) loadings from 2 to 10 phr. The NBR/NR/CB nanocomposite containing OMMT clay showed a significant improvement in reinforcement. Results of the physio- mechanical properties of the nanocomposite have been interpreted with reference to intercalation/exfoliation of OMMT clay, synergistic effect of CB and clay and interaction between clay and NBR. Vulcanisates of CB filled waste NBR/NR nanocomposites with 4 phr of OMMT clay showed the best reinforcement. Key words: Nnitrile rubber, Montmorillonite clay, carbon black, reinforcement, intercalation, exfoliation Corresponding Author: W D R Wijesinghe E-mail address: ranganathcj@gmail.com Mobile: +94759587731 Subject area: Engineering Sciences