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Graphene matrix formation in a natural rubber dispersoid

Polymer Journal volume 54, pages 727–733 (2022)Cite this article

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Abstract

In this study, a composite of a natural rubber (NR) discontinuous phase (dispersoid) and a graphene continuous phase (matrix) was prepared and characterized. Graphene was prepared and grafted onto NR particles in the latex stage in the presence of the redox initiators tert-butylhydroperoxide and tetraethylene pentaamine. The structure and morphology of the resulting materials were characterized through XRD, TEM and DSC. The mechanical and electromagnetic shielding properties of the samples were investigated and compared with those of an NR/graphene blend in which graphene forms a discontinuous phase. The results show that graphene, which is the minor component, can successfully form a matrix and that NR, which is the major component, acts as a dispersoid. The electromagnetic shielding and mechanical properties of NR with a graphene matrix are found to be superior to that for NR with graphene as the discontinuous phase. The improvement in the NR performance is attributed to the formation of a graphene matrix.

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The data generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Toshiba International Foundation (2019).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemical Engineering, Hanoi University of Science and Technology No, Hanoi, Vietnam

    Minh Duc Pham, Quan Hai Nguyen, Quyen Thi Nguyen, Quan Anh Cao, Nguyen Kim Nga & Ha Thu Nguyen

  2. Department of Materials Science and Technology, Nagaoka University of Technology, Nagaoka, Niigata, Japan

    Seiichi Kawahara

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  1. Minh Duc Pham
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  2. Quan Hai Nguyen
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Correspondence to Ha Thu Nguyen.

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Pham, M.D., Nguyen, Q.H., Nguyen, Q.T. et al. Graphene matrix formation in a natural rubber dispersoid. Polym J 54, 727–733 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41428-022-00620-4

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