Investigation of eco-friendly cellulosic nanoparticles potential as reinforcement agent in the production of natural rubber composites

Abstract

This research focuses on the use of cellulosic nanoparticles obtained from coconut husk, bamboo and cotton linter as reinforcing phase in natural rubber composites with the objective to study the effect of these cellulosic particles and loading ratio on the mechanical, thermal and morphological properties of the resultant composites. Vulcanized natural rubber composites were prepared using cellulosic nanoparticles obtained from bamboo (BNC), coconut husk (CHNC), cotton linter (CLNC) and carbon black (CB) as reinforcing material/fillers. These reinforcing material/fillers were compounded alongside with vulcanizing agents using two roll mixing mill and subsequently cured in order to introduce crosslinks into rubber chains. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) revealed that the free volume holes in the neat rubber were drastically reduced by incorporation of these nanoparticles into the rubber matrix. The differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) study showed a slight shift in the melting temperature of bamboo based composite from 360 to 350 o C while thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the incorporation of bamboo and cotton linter based nanoparticles shifted the thermal stability of neat rubber matrix from 266 to 299 and 300 o C respectively. Coconut husk based composites showed a trend of increase in tensile strength from 1.8 to 3.82 MPa with filler loading of 0 to 25 weight %, while bamboo, cotton linter and carbon black based nanocomposites gave their highest values of 3.16, 3.92 and 4.50 MPa respectively at filler content of 30 weight %.Cellulosic nanoparticles obtained from biomass studied in this experiment can replace or serve as alternative materials to carbon black especially in moderate load bearing rubber articles

Multifunctional Chitosan/Gold Nanoparticles Coatings for Biomedical Textiles

“…Because of the hybrid network formed, which limits the movement of the PVA and soybean protein segments, complete decomposition of the soy fibres required another degradation step at ≈276 °C. It has been shown that proteins processed in the form of fibres to display an interconnected structure formed at the nanoscale that hinders degradation to higher temperatures (≈300 °C) [67,68]. Shifting of this peak to higher temperatures by chitosan treatment (291.4 °C) confirms this polymer ability to increase the thermal stability of the fabric.…”

Biochar and bio-oil fuel properties from nickel nanoparticles assisted pyrolysis of cassava peel

“…A thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA, PerkinElmer, UK) was employed to investigate the thermal degradation behaviour of DCP ( Oboh et al., 2018 ). In detail, 10 mg of CP sample was placed into the crucible of the thermogravimetric analyzer and performed at temperatures of 30–900 °C and heating rates of 10, 20 and 30 °C/min under a nitrogen flow rate of 50 mL/min as a non-reacting inert gas.…”

Synthesis and chemical modification of crystalline nanocellulose to reinforce natural rubber composites

“…14 Oboh et al used CNC, prepared via top to down method, in NR matrix to enhance the tensile strength. 15 However, the dispersion of cellulose in a hydrophobic polymer matrix like NR remains a matter of concern owing to its hydrophilic nature that arises from the presence of polar hydroxyl groups at the cellulose surface. A very low dispersion of CNC upon high time consumption has been reported in the literature.…”

“…Abraham et al reported incorporation of nano cellulose fibers into the NR latex via solution casting method 14 . Oboh et al used CNC, prepared via top to down method, in NR matrix to enhance the tensile strength 15 . However, the dispersion of cellulose in a hydrophobic polymer matrix like NR remains a matter of concern owing to its hydrophilic nature that arises from the presence of polar hydroxyl groups at the cellulose surface.…”