Preparation of Softmaterial with nanomatrix structure of inorganic nano-particles

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26620176
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Polymer/Textile materials
• Research Institution: Nagaoka University of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Kawahara Seiichi 長岡技術科学大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (00242248)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: エラストマー / 無機ナノ粒子 / ナノマトリックス構造 / ラテックス / 動的粘弾性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Natural rubber with organic-inorganic nanomatrix structure was prepared by forming chemical linkages between natural rubber particles and silica nano-particles. The organic-inorganic nanomatrix structure was formed by graft-copolymerization of vinyltriethoxysilane onto natural rubber particles in the latex stage followed by casting of the latex. The silica nano-particles were produced during the graft-copolymerization through hydrolysis and condensation, i.e. sol-gel reaction. The nanomatrix structure was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Tensile properties were significantly improved by forming organic-inorganic nanomatrix structure. The loss modulus and loss tangent of the natural rubber with the organic-inorganic nanomatrix structure were almost independent of deformation frequency in the rubbery plateau region, which was explained to be due to both the energetic elasticity and entropic elasticity characteristics of the nanomatrix structure.

Free Research Field

高分子材料・物性、天然ゴム化学