Novel Interpenetrating Polymer Networks Based on Natural Rubber/Poly(vinyl alcohol)

Abstract

Fully interpenetrating polymer networks (IPN) based on natural rubber (NR) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) were prepared by using glutaraldehyde as the common cross-linking agent. The mechanical performance of this system has been studied in detail. Stress-stain behavior, tensile strength, elongation at break and young's modulus was determined. Effects of weight fraction on the physical properties of NR/PVA IPN's were also studied along with the thermal degradation behavior using thermogravimetric analysis. A remarkable improvement was observed in the mechanical strength and the thermal stability of the blend by the formation of IPN. The activation energy of degradation was analyzed using the Horowitz-Metzger equation. The solvent resistance properties of these samples were investigated by the equilibrium swelling method using benzene as a solvent. The impact of weight fraction of PVA on the solvent transport of the system was also analyzed. A reduction in swelling was exhibited with the addition of PVA to natural rubber by the formation of IPN. The water absorbability of the blend decreases by the addition of glutaraldehyde.

Keywords:

• Glutaraldehyde
• Interpenetrating polymer network
• Natural rubber
• Thermogravimetry

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support by the Postdoctoral Fellowship from Prince of Songkla University, Thailand. Also, we would like to thank the National Research University Project of Thailand's Office of the Higher Education Commission for financial support.