Addition of divinyl benzene comonomer to glycidyl methacrylate grafting to cyclic natural rubber

Abstract

Abstract The process of thermally grafting glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) on cyclic natural rubber (CNR) compared to the addition of an initiator of organic peroxide, dicumyl peroxide (DCP) and using cross-linker divinyl benzene (DVB) has been carried out by means of melt processing. The main aims of the modified GMA grafted to CNR was to increase the polarity of the polymer to be used as a compatibiliser agent in asphalt modification. The addition of DVB comonomer in the processing was to increase the amount of GMA implanted in cyclic rubber as measured by the degree of GMA grafting. The grafting method was carried out by melting polymer (melt processing) at high temperatures in the reactor internal mixer (Brabender model). The grafting reaction took place at a temperature of 160°C, 60 rpm rotor rotation for 10 minutes of mixing. To determine the GMA grafting reaction on cyclic rubber, characterization was carried out with Fourier Transformed Infra Red (FT-IR) while the degree of GMA grafting on natural rubber was determined by acid-base titration method in organic solvents. It was found that the GMA grafting process on cyclic natural rubber could easily occur in the melting phase at high temperatures and increase with the addition of dicumyl peroxide (DCP) peroxide. Although the addition of divinyl benzene (DVB) comonomer can increase the degree of grafting of GMA on CNR, the addition of comonomer can cause high cross-linking.