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Temperature‐Induced Changes in the Surface Wettability of SBR + PNIPA Films
Author(s) -
Mori Noriko,
Horikawa Haruna,
Furukawa Hidemitsu,
Watanabe Toshiyuki
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
macromolecular materials and engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.913
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1439-2054
pISSN - 1438-7492
DOI - 10.1002/mame.200700102
Subject(s) - wetting , materials science , natural rubber , mixing (physics) , contact angle , composite material , vulcanization , chemical engineering , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering
We report a novel rubber film made by a simple mixing method, which realizes a steep temperature dependence of the contact angle of water at a critical temperature of 41 °C. We mixed a common SBR with a known temperature‐responsive PNIPA to make a thermo‐responsive rubber. This rubber film distinctly showed a switch of surface wettability between hydrophilic below 41 °C and hydrophobic above 41 °C. The switching property is possibly controlled by the mixing ratio of PNIPA to SBR, preparation method, added chemicals, and so on. This mixing technique will be applied for the control of surface wetting properties by temperature on various SBR‐like rubber materials, such as wet‐brake performance of automobile tires on a rainy day.