Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Vol.120, No.1, 458-465, 2011
Preparation, Structure, and Properties of Montmorillonite/Cellulose II/Natural Rubber Nanocomposites
In this work, sodium montmorillonite clay was added, as filler, to nanocomposites of natural rubber (NR) and cellulose II (regenerated cellulose) in amounts varying from 0 to 5 phr (per hundred resin). Natural rubber (NR)/cellulose II/montmorillonite nanocomposites were prepared by co-coagulating NR latex, montmorillonite aqueous suspension and cellulose xanthate. The clay was previously exfoliated in water, and the resulting suspension was then added to the mixture of NR latex with cellulose xanthate. Morphological, rheometric, mechanical, and dynamic mechanical properties were evaluated, and an increase in these properties was observed upon the addition of cellulose and clay nanomaterials to the rubber matrix. The results show the advantage in using cellulose as a nanopolymer as well as MMT as nanofiller. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 120: 458-465, 2011