Physical properties of polymer blend: Natural rubber glove waste/polystyrene foam waste/ cellulose fiber via brabender

Abstract

The polymer blend was prepared from the wastes of natural rubber glove (NRG) and polystyrene foam (PSf) blended with cellulose via brabender method. NRG was masticated by two-roll mill at ambient temperature, and then blended with PSf with or without sugar cane leave fiber (fsu) by brabender at 120°C. Then, the polymer blend sheet was continued to compress by compression machine at 120 °C for 5 min. The effects of epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) having 25% mol epoxidation (ENR-25) and fsu on the physical properties of polymer blend were investigated. At 20 phr of fsu, the highest tensile strength of this sample was achieved. The toluene resistance of the polymer composite was improved by adding ENR-25 and fsu. In addition, the elongation of the polymer composite was enhanced by addition of ENR-25. The best condition of the polymer blend was 50/50 PSf /NRG, 23 phr ENR-25 and 23 phr fsu. © (2014) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland.