Blends of natural rubber (NR) and polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles at 3—9 phr by latex compounding were investigated for their tensile properties, dynamic mechanical behaviors, and flammability. The nanolatex of PS was synthesized via differential microemulsion polymerization. The properties of NR were improved as a result of the incorporation of PS nanoparticles at 3 phr for tensile properties except the % elongation at break, and up to 9 phr for flammability. The results from dynamic mechanical analyzer showed that the elastic properties of NR near the glass transition temperature increased when the amount of PS nanoparticles was over 3 phr.
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2.
Jincheng, W. , Yuehui, C. and Jihu, W. (2005). Novel Reinforcing Filler: Application to Natural Rubber (NR) System, J. Elast. Plast. , 37: 169-180.
3.
Peng, Z., Kong, L.X., Li, S.D., Chen, Y. and Huang, M.F. ( 2007). Self-assembled Natural Rubber/Silica Nanocomposites: Its Preparation and Characterization, Compos. Sci. Technol. , 67: 3130-3139.
4.
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5.
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8.
Kaiyi, L. and Zhaoqun, W. ( 2007). A Novel Method for Preparing Monodispersed Polystyrene Nanoparticles, Front. Chem. China, 2: 17-20.
9.
He, G., Pan, Q. and Rempel, G.L. ( 2007). Differential Microemulsion Polymerization of Styrene: A Mathematical Kinetic Model, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 105: 2129-2137.
10.
He, G. and Pan, Q. ( 2004). Synthesis of Polystyrene and Polystyrene/ Poly(methyl methacrylate) Nanoparticles, Macromol. Rapid Commun., 25: 1545-1548.
11.
Petersson, L. and Oksman, K. (2006). Biopolymer Based Nanocomposites: Comparing Layered Silicates and Microcrystalline Cellulose as Nanoreinforcement, Compos. Sci. Technol., 66: 2187-2196.
