Mechanical, Water-Swelling, and Morphological Properties of Water-Swellable Thermoplastic Vulcanizates Based on High Density Polyethylene/Chlorinated Polyethylene/Nitrile Butadiene Rubber/Cross-Linked Sodium Polyacrylate Blends

Abstract

A novel water-swellable rubber (WSR) had been prepared by dynamically vulcanized high density polyethylene (HDPE)/chlorinated polyethylene (CPE)/nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) blends where a cross-linked poly(sodium acrylate) (CPNaAA) was used as a super water-absorbent resin. The mechanical, water-swelling and morphological properties of the WSRs were investigated. Increasing CPNaAA dosages, mechanical properties of WSRs decreased while water-swelling ratio were increased significantly; moreover, swelling ratio of WSRs with 70 phr CPNaAA was reached 956.7% at 55 h. Morphological studies showed that CPNaAA were dispersed randomly in the TPVs, and significant gaps could be found in the surface of dried WSRs.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Keywords:

• Cross-linked sodium polyacrylate
• Dynamic vulcanization
• High density polyethylene
• Morphology
• Nitrile butadiene rubber
• Water-swellable