Search

Cellulose nanofibre isolated from renewable resources is a potential reinforcing filler for elastomeric products. However, the key issue lies in terms of incompatibility between the polar fibre and the non-polar matrix which can lead to fibre agglomeration in the composite. In the present study, the effect of maleic anhydride-g-natural rubber (MA-g-NR) compatibiliser on the mechanical, rheological and thermal properties of Natural rubber/cellulose nanofibre (CNF) composites were evaluated. MA-g-NR was prepared by grafting maleic anhydride on to NR via melt-mixing process. The nanocomposites with 4 phr of MA-g-NR (NCM4) exhibited significant enhancement by 57% in tensile strength, 23% in tensile modulus and 19% in tear strength compared to NR gum vulcanizate. The SEM images of tensile fractured surfaces and RPA studies revealed improved rubber-fibre interaction for compatibilized composites. The thermal stability of the composite was not affected by the addition of a natural fibre (CNF) and MA-g-NR.

Natural Rubber (NR) composites containing segregated network structure of Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) were prepared by ultrasonication assisted latex stage mixing technique. The preparation involved acidic treatment of the nanotubes prior to ultrasonication in order to get carboxylated MWCNTs (MWCNTR). The final composites contained segregated network of carbon nanotubes. The presence of segregated structure was confirmed by Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The NR-MWCNTR composites prepared exhibited excellent mechanical and gas barrier properties with improved solvent resistance and cross-link density at very low concentration of nanotubes which can be attributed to the segregated network present in the composites. The cellular structure and occluded rubber due to the confinement of rubber within the networks in the NR-MWCNTR composite provided tremendous reinforcement. The Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the added nanotubes did not alter the thermal stability of the composites