Effect of nanofillers on radiation crosslinked natural rubber latex vulcanisates

Abstract

Radiation vulcanised natural rubber latex (RVNRL) nano composites were prepared by incorporating aqueous dispersions of fumed silica and nano clay (fluorohectorite) in the RVNRL. Properties of the nanocomposites were compared with vulcanisates containing inert filler were used. RVNRL/nano silica composites showed superior tensile properties. TGA analysis indicated that the thermal stability of RVNRL/nano composites is higher than that of micro composites. Theoretica lmoduli of nano and micro composites were computed using different composite models and compared with experimental data. A good agreement between experimental and theoretical values was observed in the case of RVNRL/nano silica composites. The transparency of the composites was quantified using UV-Visible spectrophotometer. The morphology analysis of the composites using scanning electron microscopy indicated that the nanoparticles were homogeneously distributed in NR matrix.

KEYWORDS:

• Ageing resistance
• fluorohectorite clay
• fumed silica
• mechanical properties
• morphology
• nanocomposite
• radiation vulcanisation

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their deepest appreciation to Rubber Research Institute of India, Kottayam, for the technical supports of this work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Neethu Varghese

Neethu Varghese is currently working as PhD scholar in the Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII), Kottayam, India. She obtained her M.Phil degree in Chemistry (Pure and Applied Chemistry) from CUSAT, Ernakulam in 2015. Her research interests include prevulcanisation of rubber lattices. She has presented papers in international conferences.

Siby Varghese

Dr. Siby Varghese is Joint Director of Technical Consultancy Division, Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII), Kottayam, India. He received his doctorate in 1992 from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India. He did his Postdoctoral research (1996-1998) under the JSPS (Japan Society for Promotion of Science) postdoctoral programme at the University of Tokyo, Japan in the area of radiation processing of polymers. His specific areas of research interests include polymer composites, blends, rubber nanocomposites, latex allergy and recycling. For his scientific contributions, he received Kerala Young Scientists Award in 1993 and Indian Young Scientist Award in 1996. He has100 international publications and conducted several presentations in international level. In 2002, he has been selected for the famous AvH (Alexander von Humboldt) postdoctoral fellowship at the institute for Composite Material, University of Kaiserslautern, Germany.

Shybi A.A

Shybi A.A is currently working as PhD scholar in the Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII), Kottayam, India. Her research interests include Adhesives. She has presented papers in international conferences.

Thomas Kurian

Dr. Thomas Kurian is a professor of polymer technology at the Department of Polymer Science and Rubber Technology, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Ernakulam, India. He has authored a book chapter and publishes several research articles in international journals and popular magazine. He received his PhD in Rubber Technology from IIT Kharagpur. He was a JSPS post-doctoral fellow and a JSPS Bridge Fellow at Yamagata University, Japan.