Influences of the phenolic curative content and blend proportions on the properties of dynamically vulcanized natural rubber/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene blends

The vulcanization of natural rubber (NR)-blended acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) was carried out with a phenolic curing agent by a melt-mixing process. The NR compound was first prepared before blending with ABS. The effects of the phenolic curative contents (10, 15, and 20 phr) and blend proportions (NR/ABS ratio=50 : 50, 60 : 40, and 70 : 30) on the mechanical, dynamic, thermal, and morphological properties of the vulcanized NR/ABS blends were investigated. The tensile strength and hardness of the blends increased with increasing ABS content, whereas the elongation at break decreased. The strength property resulting from the thermoplastic component and the vulcanized NR was an essential component for improving the elasticity of the blends. These blends showed a greater elastic response than the neat ABS. The thermal stability of the blends increased with increasing ABS component. Scanning electron micrographs of the blends showed a two-phase morphology system. The vulcanized 60 : 40 NR/ABS blend with 15-phr phenolic resin showed a uniform styrene-co-acrylonitrile phase dispersed in the vulcanized NR phase; it provided better dispersion between the NR and ABS phases, and this resulted in superior elastic properties. (c) 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42520.