Chlorohydrination of Natural Rubber Latex using N-chlorosuccnimide for Fuel-resistant Materials

Natural rubber (NR) cannot be effectively used to store or make contact with hydrophobic substances as it will become swollen and lose its shape. In this work, we developed a simple method for synthesizing chlorohydrinated NR from latex using N-chlorosuccinimide (NCS) as a new chlorohydrinating agent for NR latex, in the presence of thiourea and ammonium hydroxide as the catalyst and stabilizer, respectively. A chlorohydrin content as high as 70% was obtained. The swelling resistance of chlorohydrinated NR with 41% chlorohydrin in toluene was improved nearly ten times, compared with that of the unmodified NR. The chlorohydrinated NR also demonstrated excellent resistance against diesel fuel, while the pristine NR was totally degraded. The chlorohydrinated NR thus provides an attractive fuel-resistant material. The thermal and mechanical properties and ozone resistance of the chlorohydrinated NR were characterized. The merits of the method include low cost of raw materials, simpler production processes, and the ability to scale up production. The chlorohydrinated NR produced can be used in a wide range of applications.