Development and Characterization of Unmodified and Modified Natural Rubber Composites Filled with Modified Clay
Adisak Keereerak,
Nusara Sukkhata,
Nussana Lehman,
Yeampon Nakaramontri,
Karnda Sengloyluan,
Jobish Johns,
Ekwipoo Kalkornsurapranee
Affiliations
Adisak Keereerak
Division of Physical Science, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat-Yai, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Nusara Sukkhata
Division of Physical Science, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat-Yai, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Nussana Lehman
Division of Physical Science, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat-Yai, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Yeampon Nakaramontri
Sustainable Polymer & Innovative Composite Materials Research Group, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok 10140, Thailand
Karnda Sengloyluan
Rubber Technology and Engineering Program, International College, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Jobish Johns
Department of Physics, Rajarajeswari College of Engineering, Bangalore 560074, India
Ekwipoo Kalkornsurapranee
Division of Physical Science, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat-Yai, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Novel composite based on rubber and modified bentonite clay (Clay) was investigated. The modified bentonite clay was developed by dispersing in ethanol solutions (Et-OH) using ultrasonic method. The effect of Et-OH on the dispersion of bentonite clay at various mixing temperatures in case of different type of rubber matrix, i.e., natural rubber (NR), epoxidized natural rubber (ENR25, ENR50) on dynamic mechanical rheology, Payne effect, XRD and mechanical properties of rubber composites were studied in detail. The bentonite clay dispersion in Et-OH at a mixing temperature of 80 °C improves the intercalation and exfoliation in rubber chains. Bentonite clay is highly intercalated in ENR 50-Clay composite, which can be confirmed from its superior mechanical properties. The results indicated that sonication of bentonite clay in Et-OH improves the interlayer spacing of bentonite clay by partial intercalation of rubber matrix.
