Application of Carboxy Terminated Liquid Natural Rubber as a polymeric compatibilizer in commercial nano silica filled NR/NBR and PVC/NBR blends

Abstract

Blends of polymers are mixtures of two or more polymers, having different properties and require compatibilization. The compatibilization must ensure the improvement in morphological homogeneity and performance of materials in terms of its physical and mechanical characteristics. Maleic anhydride can be able to link chemically with depolymerized natural rubber to generate the Carboxy Terminated liquid Natural Rubber (CTNR). The utilization of the CTNR as a prospective and affordable compatibilizer and the usage of the commercial nano silica (NS) as a green, reinforcing and beneficial filler which could boost the tensile characteristics, ageing and oil resistance of both the NR/NBR and PVC/ NBR blend vulcanizates are described in this work. The properties of commercial NS filled NR/NBR and PVC/ NBR blend vulcanizates were compared with those containing amorphous silica. The effect of altering the quantity of CTNR on the properties of commercial NS filled NR/NBR and PVC/ NBR blend vulcanizates were also studied. The introduction of CTNR as a compatibilizer could enhance the tensile properties, ageing and oil resistance and upgrade the compression set of NS filled NR/NBR blend vulcanizates. The NS filled PVC/ NBR blend vulcanizates exhibit an improvement in the tensile properties, hardness, ageing and oil resistance by the use of CTNR as the compatibilizer. The addition of CTNR increases the crosslink density of both NS filled NR/NBR and PVC/NBR blend vulcanizates. Fruitful blending of NR/NBR and PVC/NBR was accomplished by the use of commercial NS and the production of CTNR through sunlight irradiation of NR and maleic anhydride.