Thermal and mechanical behavior of natural rubber latex-silica aerogel film

A major problem in most natural rubber latex (NRL) commonly encountered like other polymer is susceptibility to mechanical properties and thermal degradation; particularly in thin film due to the presence of double bonds in the main chain. Therefore, it is desirable to seek for ways of improving these properties. Silica aerogel is a material with extraordinary properties was believed to have potential enhance properties in NRL films because of its high specific surface area. Therefore, based on the unique character of silica aerogel, NRL-silica aerogel film was developed by latex compounding and dry coagulant dipping to form thin film where silica aerogel acts as filler. Silica aerogel, synthesized from rice husk was dispersed in a ball-mill using distilled water for NRL compounding. Results indicate that increasing silica aerogel loading enhances the mechanical properties of the NRL-silica aerogel film. Effects of postvulcanization processes were also investigated, whereby the best reinforcing effect was obtained at 4 phr silica aerogel loading with leaching postvulcanization condition. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012