• • Achieved direct upcycling of unmodified waste BIIR via SiO2-Py nanoparticles, yielding composites with tensile strength ~14 MPa and toughness ~60 MJ m−3, outperforming original inner tube material and enabling high-performance reuse.
• • The dual interpenetrating network (sulfur-vulcanized + bromine-pyridinium crosslinked silica-rich) provides exceptional mechanical properties, with air permeability as low as 8.78×10−15 cm3 cm/(cm2 s Pa), critical for tire and seal applications.
• • Strategy circumvents energy-intensive desulfurization or pyrolysis, preserving the polymer backbone and original sulfur network, reducing environmental impact and processing costs.
• • Demonstrated scalability using discarded bicycle inner tubes, showing potential for industrial adoption in rubber recycling without chemical modification of waste.