Morphology and Mechanical Properties of Layered Silicate
Reinforced Natural and Polyurethane Rubber Blends
Produced by Latex Compounding
Natural rubber (NR), polyurethane rubber
(PUR), and NR/PUR-based nanocomposites were produced
from the related latices by adding a pristine synthetic layered
silicate (LS; sodium fluorohectorite) in 10 parts per
hundred parts rubber (phr). The dispersion of the LS latices
in the composite was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and
transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Further information
on the rubber/LS interaction was received from Fourier
transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and dynamic mechanical
thermal analysis (DMTA). Tensile and tear tests
were used to characterize the performance of the rubber
nanocomposites. It was found that LS is more compatible
and thus better intercalated by PUR than by NR. Further, LS
was preferably located in the PUR phase in the blends,
which exhibited excellent mechanical properties despite the
incompatibility between NR and PUR. Nano-reinforcement
was best reflected in stiffness- and strength-related properties
of the rubber composites.