Transport properties of natural rubber latex layered clay nanocomposites

Abstract Natural rubber latex layered clay nanocomposites were prepared with low loadings of nanoclay using conventional compounding technique. A higher loading of clay resulted in processing difficulties due to viscosity build up. X‐ray analysis showed that nanocomposites in which layered silicate layers were either delaminated or ordered as in an intercalated structure was obtained. Partially exfoliated structure was observed from TEM photographs of nanocomposites with 3 phr nanoclay. The transport properties, sorption, diffusion, and permeation coefficients were measured using the solvent toluene at 303 K. A higher decrease for the diffusion coefficient for nanocomposites directs the presence of tortuous path for the diffusing molecules. Thermodynamic parameters show a better compatibility for the silicates with rubber resulted in the formation of an elastomeric network. Gas permeability results of the nanocomposites suggest a better barrier resistancefor oxygen molecules even in lower loading of nanoclay and different gas transport models (Nielsen, Bharadwaj, Cussler) were applied to describe the behavior of these nanocomposites. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008