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Properties of silica/natural rubber composite film and foam: Effects of silica content and sulfur vulcanization system

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Abstract

This research paper investigated the effects of the silica content and the sulfur vulcanization system on the mechanical properties of silica-filled natural rubber (NR) composite film and foam to be used in various applications. Three different sulfur vulcanization systems (conventional (CV), semi-efficient (Semi-EV), and efficient (EV)) were thoroughly studied to improve the quality of vulcanized NR and their composite with silica. The ground silica was treated with Silane 69. Scanning Electron Microscope demonstrated that the treated silica in NR was well dispersed. In addition, the treated silica resulted in better mechanical properties than for untreated silica. The optimum amount of silica in non-vulcanized rubber was 16 phr. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of vulcanized rubber from the CV system were better than those from the Semi-EV and EV systems due to the higher degree of crosslinking in the former. In addition, when the TSi/NR composite foam specimens at 8 phr had an applied load that was 4.41 times that of non-silica rubber foam.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by the National Nanotechnology Center (Nanotech), NSTDA, Ministry of Science and Technology, Thailand, through its program of Research Network NANOTEC (RNN) Kasetsart University. The authors would also like to acknowledge the Faculty of Engineering, Kasetsart University Research Development Institute (KURDI), Bangkok, Thailand. This work was partially supported by a grant from the Thailand Research Fund (Grant No. MRG5980252). The Center of Excellence on Petrochemical and Materials Technology (PETROMAT) provided financial support. Special thanks was to Mr. Numporn Thungphotrakul for his kind help in some data correction for this manuscript.

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  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National Center of Excellence for Petroleum, Petrochemicals and Advance Materials, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand

    Napaporn Kumkrong, Peerapan Dittanet & Paweena Prapainainar

  2. Phaholyothin Rd, MTEC, Klong Luang, 114 Thailand Science ParkKlong 1, Pathumthani, 12120, Thailand

    Pongdhorn Saeoui & Surapich Loykulnant

  3. Research Network of NANOTEC-KU On Nanocatalyst and Nanomaterials for Sustainable Energy and Environment, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand

    Paweena Prapainainar

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  1. Napaporn Kumkrong
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Manuscript title: Properties of silica/natural rubber composite film and foam: Effects of silica content and sulfur vulcanization system.

☒ The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

☒ The authors whose names are listed immediately below certify that they have NO affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest, or non-financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript. Napaporn Kumkrong Peerapan Dittanet Pongdhorn Saeoui Surapitch Loykulnun Paweena Prapainainar.

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Kumkrong, N., Dittanet, P., Saeoui, P. et al. Properties of silica/natural rubber composite film and foam: Effects of silica content and sulfur vulcanization system. J Polym Res 29, 302 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10965-022-03129-9

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