Premium
Maleated high oleic sunflower oil‐treated cellulose fiber‐based styrene butadiene rubber composites
Author(s) -
Raza Mohsin A.,
Ashraf Muhammad A.,
Westwood Aidan V.K.,
Jamil Tahir,
Ahmad Rafiq,
Inam Aqil,
Deen Kashif M.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
polymer composites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1548-0569
pISSN - 0272-8397
DOI - 10.1002/pc.23273
Subject(s) - materials science , composite material , cellulose , styrene butadiene , ultimate tensile strength , curing (chemistry) , natural rubber , cellulose fiber , composite number , absorption of water , sunflower oil , fiber , styrene , polymer , chemical engineering , medicine , pathology , engineering , copolymer
Surface treatment of cellulose fibers was performed with maleated high oleic sunflower oil (MSOHO). The MSOHO‐treated cellulose fibers and unmodified cellulose fibers were dispersed in styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) using a two roll mill. Vapor grown carbon nanofibers (VGCNF) were also incorporated at only one parts per hundred rubber (phr) in unmodified cellulose fibers/SBR composites. The curing characteristics, mechanical properties, and water absorption of the resulting composites were determined. MSOHO‐treated fibers completed curing at much slower rate and also decreased the cure density of composites, compared to unmodified fibers. In contrast, the combination of VGCNF and unmodified cellulose fibers accelerated the SBR curing process, but reduced the cure density. MSOHO treatment improved the dispersion of the fibers in the SBR, which resulted in improved mechanical properties of composites. The composite incorporating 1 phr VGCNF and 15 phr unmodified cellulose fibers showed the greatest increase in tensile strength as compared with neat SBR. POLYM. COMPOS. 37:1113–1121, 2016. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers