Effect of magnetic and thermal properties of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONs) in nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) latex

Nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) gloves are one of the most important personal protective equipments but they are possible to tear off and contaminate food or pharmaceutical and healthcare products during manufacturing and packaging process. High tendency of torn glove remaining in food or products due to white or light flesh-coloured glove is not easy to be detected by naked eyes. In this paper, iron oxide nanoparticles (IONs) selected as additive for NBR to improve its detectability by mean of magnetic properties. IONs synthesized via precipitation method and compounded with NBR latex before casting on petri dish. The properties of IONs were investigated by X-ray Diffractometry (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Raman Spectroscopy and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM). Meanwhile NBR/IONs composites were studied by Thermogravimetry Analysis (TGA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM). It observed that, synthesized IONs shows of 25.28 nm crystallite with 25.86 nm semipherical (changed as) shape. Meanwhile, Magnetite and maghemite phase are found in range of 670 cm−1 and 700 cm−1 respectively, which it contributes magnetization saturation of 73.96 emu/g at 10,000 G by VSM. Thermal stability and magnetic properties were increased with incorporating IONs into NBR latex up to 20 phr. NBR/IONs 5 phr has the optimum thermal stability, lowest glass transition temperature (−14.83 °C) and acceptable range of magnetization saturation (3.83 emu/g at 10,000 G) to form NBR gloves with magnetic detectability.