Effects of Prevulcanization Time of Natural Rubber on Kenaf Filled Natural Rubber Foam

Abstract

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the effects of prevulcanization time of natural rubber latex (NRL) on properties of kenaf filled natural rubber latex foam (NRLF). The prevulcanization time of NRL was set at 24 hours. The tensile properties, compression set and morphological properties of kenaf filled NRLF after 24 hours of prevulcanization time were compared with samples without prevulcanized. The tensile strength and modulus at 100% elongation (M100) of prevulcanized samples was higher but lower in elongation at break as compared with without prevulcanized samples. The results from thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed that the thermal stability of prevulcanized samples was higher than without prevulcanized samples. The prevulcanized samples found to have higher elasticity compared with without prevulcanized samples based compression set test. The morpholgy of both samples were also compared using scanning electron microscope (SEM). From the micrograph of SEM, it was found that prevulcanized kenaf filled NRLF samples show better interfacial bonding compared with kenaf filled NRLF without prevulcanized. This proved that prevulcanized natural rubber latex enhanced the properties of kenaf filled NRLF.