The present study investigated the effects of two types of natural rubber and different blend ratios on the cure, tensile properties
and morphology of natural rubber/recycled chloroprene rubber blends. The blends of natural rubber/recycled chloroprene rubber
were prepared by using laboratory two-roll mill. The result showed that the cure time prolonged with the addition of recycled
chloroprene rubber (rCR). Comparability, natural rubber/recycled chloroprene rubber (SMR L/rCR) blendcured rapidly than
epoxidized natural rubber/recycled chloroprene rubber (ENR 50/rCR) blend. The addition of rCRalso caused a decrement in the
tensile strength and elongation at break for both rubber blends. The SMR L/rCR blendsshowed higher tensile strength and
elongation at break compared to those of ENR 50/rCR blends at any blend ratios.
© 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Peer-review under responsibility of School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia.
Keywords:Recycled chloroprene rubber; Rubber blends; Mechanical properties
1. Introduction
In the glove manufacturing, common problems such as the formation of blisters, pinholes, thin patch, and gel latex
between the gloves fingers are the main reason for great amount of glove rejected due to poor in quality. Hence, due
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +6-04-599- 6113; fax: +6-04 – 594-1011.
E-mail address:ihanafi@usm.my
2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia