Studies on natural rubber nanocomposites by incorporating zinc oxide modified graphene oxide
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ORIGINAL PAPER
Studies on natural rubber nanocomposites by incorporating zinc oxide modified graphene oxide Jophy Jose1 · Susamma Athikalam Paulose2 Received: 17 October 2019 / Accepted: 21 September 2020 © The Malaysian Rubber Board 2020
Abstract To obtain an efficient performance of the natural rubber/graphene oxide nanocomposites, it is essential to enhance the interfacial interaction between the filler and the polymeric matrix. The present study aims to improve the interfacial interaction between natural rubber (NR) and graphene oxide (GO) by modifying GO with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZGO) using the coprecipitation method. The structural and morphological properties of ZGO nanocomposites were characterised by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, UV–visible spectrophotometry (UV–vis), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The characterisation results show that zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were synthesised and randomly decorated on the surfaces and edges of GO sheets. A series of NR-ZGO nanocomposites with varying compositions of ZGO were prepared by the latex mixing method. The morphological, mechanical, and dielectric properties of the nanocomposites were analysed by SEM, UTM, and impedance analyser. The results obtained for NR-ZGO nanocomposites revealed enhancement in mechanical and dielectric properties from neat NR and NR-GO nanocomposites. Keywords Zinc oxide · Graphene oxide · Nanocomposite · Natural rubber · Latex mixing
Introduction Natural rubber (NR) is an important industrial crop, which finds a large number of applications in the field of automotive tires, footwear, and the manufacturing of other engineering products [1]. But NR in its raw form does not have sufficient properties. In most practical applications of NR, it has to be reinforced with fillers to get substantial improvements in strength and stiffness [2]. Recently, nanofillers have gained significant attention in preparing rubber nanocomposites due to their superior performance [3]. Among the different nanofillers, graphene oxide (GO) has recently emerged as a promising filler for rubber nanocomposites owing to its excellent thermal, mechanical barrier properties, as well as its large specific surface, cost-effective, and easy processing properties [4]. However, the dispersion of GO in * Jophy Jose [email protected] 1
Research Department of Chemistry, Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam, Kerala 682011, India
Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kochi, Kerala 682 506, India
2
the NR matrix is more difficult due to the weaker interfacial interaction between polar GO and nonpolar NR, causing inadequate reinforcement to NR. By functionalisation or by the addition of nanoparticles, the functional properties of GO can be increased [5]. GO contains a single layer of s p2 carbon atoms with hydroxyl and epoxy functional groups on the surface and the carboxyl groups at the edges. These functional groups offer active sit
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