Natural Rubber Latex Foam Reinforced with Micro- and Nanofibrillated Cellulose via Dunlop Method
Natural rubber latex foam (NRLF) was reinforced with micro- and nanofibrillated cellulose at a loading content of 5–20 parts per hundred of rubber (phr) via the Dunlop process. Cellulose powder from eucalyptus pulp and bacterial cellulose (BC) was used as a microcellulose (MC) and nanocellulose (NC)...
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MDPI AG
2020-08-01
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| Series: | Polymers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/12/9/1959 |
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| author | Sirilak Phomrak Adun Nimpaiboon Bi-min Zhang Newby Muenduen Phisalaphong |
| author_facet | Sirilak Phomrak Adun Nimpaiboon Bi-min Zhang Newby Muenduen Phisalaphong |
| author_sort | Sirilak Phomrak |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Natural rubber latex foam (NRLF) was reinforced with micro- and nanofibrillated cellulose at a loading content of 5–20 parts per hundred of rubber (phr) via the Dunlop process. Cellulose powder from eucalyptus pulp and bacterial cellulose (BC) was used as a microcellulose (MC) and nanocellulose (NC) reinforcing agent, respectively. NRLF, NRLF-MC, and NRLF-NC exhibited interconnected macroporous structures with a high porosity and a low-density. The composite foams contained pores with sizes in a range of 10–500 µm. As compared to MC, NC had a better dispersion inside the NRLF matrix and showed a higher adhesion to the NRLF matrix, resulting in a greater reinforcement. The most increased tensile strengths for MC and NC incorporated NRLF were found to be 0.43 MPa (1.4-fold increase) and 0.73 MPa (2.4-fold increase), respectively, by reinforcing NRLF with 5 phr MC and 15 phr NC, whereas the elongation at break was slightly reduced. Compression testing showed that the recovery percentage was improved to 34.9% (1.3-fold increase) by reinforcement with 15 phr NC, whereas no significant improvement in the recovery percentage was observed with MC. Both NRLF-MC and NRLF-NC presented hydrophobic surfaces and good thermal stability up to 300 °C. Due to their highly porous structure, after a prolong immersion in water, NRLF composites had high water uptake abilities. According to their properties, the composite foams could be further modified for use as green absorption or supporting materials. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:43:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a00b1bed1e4a4b3982bbfa302bcc715a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4360 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:43:06Z |
| publishDate | 2020-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Polymers |
| spelling | doaj.art-a00b1bed1e4a4b3982bbfa302bcc715a2023-11-20T11:50:02ZengMDPI AGPolymers2073-43602020-08-01129195910.3390/polym12091959Natural Rubber Latex Foam Reinforced with Micro- and Nanofibrillated Cellulose via Dunlop MethodSirilak Phomrak0Adun Nimpaiboon1Bi-min Zhang Newby2Muenduen Phisalaphong3Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Phayathai Road, Bangkok 10330, ThailandRubber Technology Research Centre (RTEC), Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, ThailandDepartment of Chemical, Biomolecular and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325-3906, USADepartment of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Phayathai Road, Bangkok 10330, ThailandNatural rubber latex foam (NRLF) was reinforced with micro- and nanofibrillated cellulose at a loading content of 5–20 parts per hundred of rubber (phr) via the Dunlop process. Cellulose powder from eucalyptus pulp and bacterial cellulose (BC) was used as a microcellulose (MC) and nanocellulose (NC) reinforcing agent, respectively. NRLF, NRLF-MC, and NRLF-NC exhibited interconnected macroporous structures with a high porosity and a low-density. The composite foams contained pores with sizes in a range of 10–500 µm. As compared to MC, NC had a better dispersion inside the NRLF matrix and showed a higher adhesion to the NRLF matrix, resulting in a greater reinforcement. The most increased tensile strengths for MC and NC incorporated NRLF were found to be 0.43 MPa (1.4-fold increase) and 0.73 MPa (2.4-fold increase), respectively, by reinforcing NRLF with 5 phr MC and 15 phr NC, whereas the elongation at break was slightly reduced. Compression testing showed that the recovery percentage was improved to 34.9% (1.3-fold increase) by reinforcement with 15 phr NC, whereas no significant improvement in the recovery percentage was observed with MC. Both NRLF-MC and NRLF-NC presented hydrophobic surfaces and good thermal stability up to 300 °C. Due to their highly porous structure, after a prolong immersion in water, NRLF composites had high water uptake abilities. According to their properties, the composite foams could be further modified for use as green absorption or supporting materials.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/12/9/1959natural rubber latex foamDunlop methodreinforcementmicrocellulosenanocellulose |
| spellingShingle | Sirilak Phomrak Adun Nimpaiboon Bi-min Zhang Newby Muenduen Phisalaphong Natural Rubber Latex Foam Reinforced with Micro- and Nanofibrillated Cellulose via Dunlop Method Polymers natural rubber latex foam Dunlop method reinforcement microcellulose nanocellulose |
| title | Natural Rubber Latex Foam Reinforced with Micro- and Nanofibrillated Cellulose via Dunlop Method |
| title_full | Natural Rubber Latex Foam Reinforced with Micro- and Nanofibrillated Cellulose via Dunlop Method |
| title_fullStr | Natural Rubber Latex Foam Reinforced with Micro- and Nanofibrillated Cellulose via Dunlop Method |
| title_full_unstemmed | Natural Rubber Latex Foam Reinforced with Micro- and Nanofibrillated Cellulose via Dunlop Method |
| title_short | Natural Rubber Latex Foam Reinforced with Micro- and Nanofibrillated Cellulose via Dunlop Method |
| title_sort | natural rubber latex foam reinforced with micro and nanofibrillated cellulose via dunlop method |
| topic | natural rubber latex foam Dunlop method reinforcement microcellulose nanocellulose |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/12/9/1959 |
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