Preparation,water absorbent and mechanical properties of water swellable rubber

Abstract

Water swellable rubber was prepared by blending styrene butadiene rubber as a matrix, cross-linked poly sodium polyacrylate (PAANa) as a high absorbent water resin, copolymer styrene maleic anhydride as a compatibiliser and polyethylene glycol as an absorbent accelerant. The preparation process was described. The effects of various preparation conditions, such as amount of sulphur, ratio of silicon dioxide to nanocalcium carbonate, amount of PAANa and amount of compatibiliser, on its water absorbency and mechanical properties were investigated by orthogonal tests. The optimal reaction conditions were 2 portion (phr) sulphur, 28∶12 silicon dioxide/nanocalcium carbonate, 60 phr PAANa and 5 phr compatibiliser. Furthermore, the vulcanisation property of the rubber was measured.