Studies on natural rubber/acrylonitrile butadiene rubber/organoclay nanocomposites

Skim natural rubber latex (SNRL) is a protein rich byproduct obtained during the centrifugal concentration of natural rubber (NR) latex. Natural rubber/acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) based nanocomposites were prepared by addition of aqueous organoclay dispersion to SNRL/NBR latex blend obtained after a creaming process, followed by co-coagulation, drying, mill mixing and vulcanisation. X-ray diffraction studies revealed that NR/NBR blend nanocomposites exhibited a highly intercalated structure that was more prominent when the content of NBR in the blend was 50%. The intercalation, level of cross-linking and clay dispersion for the two rubber matrices varied with the composition of the blend. Among the blends, NR/NBR 25 :75 blend showed enhanced mechanical properties for gum vulcanisates, which was further, improved in the presence of 5 phr organoclay.