| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1528681 | Materials Science and Engineering: B | 2014 | 7 Pages |
•Sol–gel reaction by NR latex was the absence of use of organic solvent and base catalyst.•Well dispersed in situ formed silica particles in the rubber matrix were obtained.•In situ silica was better to improve mechanical properties of rubber vulcanizates.
The filling of styrene graft natural rubber (ST-GNR) with in situ formed silica was performed using the sol–gel reaction via the latex solution method. The mechanical properties of ST-GNR/NR vulcanizate were improved when using the in situ formed silica to levels higher than those obtained with the commercial ex situ formed silica filled ST-GNR/NR vulcanizates at a comparable silica content of 12 parts by weight per hundred parts of rubber. Transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed that the in situ silica particles were small (∼40 nm diameter) and well dispersed, while the commercial silica particles were larger (∼60 nm diameter) and markedly agglomerated in the rubbery matrix. The mechanical properties of the composites prepared via both the solid rubber and latex solution methods were comparable.
Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide
