Preparation and properties of novel natural rubber/organo‐vermiculite nanocomposites

Abstract Polymer‐layered silicate nanocomposites have an attracting increasing attention over recent years because of their unique mechanical, thermal, and other properties. In this article, a new kind of natural rubber (NR)/organo‐vermiculite (OVMT) nanocomposites were investigated. The vermiculite (VMT) was intercalated by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide with ball mill method. The intercalation led to an increase of the d₍₀₀₁₎ of VMT from 1.46 nm to 4.51 nm. NR/OVMT nanocomposites were prepared via a melt process in a HAAKE mixer and were analyzed by X‐ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope observations. The mechanical properties of the vulcanized nanocomposites were tested. It was found that the tensile strength and the elongation at the breaking point of the NR/OVMT nanocomposites loading 15 phr of the OVMT reached 28.4 MPa and 623.2%, respectively. The 300% modulus, tear strength, and hardness (Shore A) of the nanocomposites increased with the increase of the OVMT loading. The thermal properties of the nanocomposites were investigated by dynamic mechanical analysis, and the results showed that the storage modulus and the glass transition temperature of the nanocomposites were increased. POLYM. COMPOS., 2009. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers