Compatibility and Wettability of Polypropylene-Cyclic Natural Rubber-NanocrystalCeluloseNanocomposites Containing Methacrylic Acid and Methylacrylateas Coagents

Abstract

Cyclic natural rubber (CNR: Resiprene-35) resinhas been used widely as paint and coating binders. However, when used on polyolefin substrates adhesion and mechanical properties of the CNR binders were inferior, and therefore required an adhesion promoter material. In this work, CNR resin was melt blended with polypropylene (PP) using methacrylic acid (MtAc) and methylacrylate (MeAt) as coagents, and filled with nanocrystalcellulose (NCC) to improve compatibility and adhesion on polyolefin surfaces as well as its mechanical strength. Processing conditions of the melt blending were optimized and the resulted (PP/CNR-g-MtAc-MeAt/NCC) nanocomposites were characterized using mechanical testing and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy. Furthermore, their adhesion characteristics have also been evaluated using Contact Angle Analysis. It was found that the PP/CNR-g-MtAc-MeAt/NCC nanocomposites have increased wettability and adhesion between polyolefin substrates and cyclic natural rubber binder with improved mechanical strength, and may be utilized as adhesion promoter between two substrates.