Homogeneous catalytic hydrogenation of natural rubber using RhCl(PPh3)3

Improvement of Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Vietnam Deproteinized Natural Rubber via Graft Copolymerization with Methyl Methacrylate

In this study, we investigated the improvement of the thermal and mechanical properties of Vietnam deproteinized natural rubber (DPNR) via graft copolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA). The graft copolymerization was achieved successfully in latex stage using tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHPO) and tetra-ethylenepentamine (TEPA) as radical initiators at 30°C. By grafting with various MMA feeds and initiator concentration of 6.6×10−5 mol/g-rubber, the highest grafting efficiency and conversion were achieved at MMA of 15 wt.% per kg of rubber, 68% and 90%, respectively. The structure of grafted copolymers was characterized by 1H NMR, FTIR-ATR, and GPC, and thermal properties were investigated through DSC and TGA measurements. These showed that graft copolymers were more stable and rigid than DPNR. Storage modulus (G′) of graft copolymer was found to double that of DPNR, which contributed to the formation of graft copolymer. After sulfur vulcanization, the mechanical properties of DPNR-graft-PMMA, such as tensile strength, tear strength, and hardness, were improved significantly. Curing behaviors of the graft copolymers were found to be remarkably better than virgin DPNR.

Modeling random methyl branching in ethylene/ propylene copolymers using metathesis chemistry: synthesis and thermal behavior

The structure of random ethylene/propylene (EP) copolymers has been modeled using step polymerization chemistry. Six ethylene/propylene model copolymers have been prepared via acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization and characterized for primary and higher level structure using in-depth NMR, IR, DSC, WAXD, and GPC analysis. These copolymers possess 1.5, 7.1, 13.6, 25.0, 43.3, and 55.6 methyl branches per 1000 carbons. Examination of these macromolecules by IR and WAXD analysis has demonstrated the first hexagonal phase in EP copolymers containing high ethylene content (90%) without the influence of sample manipulation (temperature, pressure, or radiation). Thermal behavior studies have shown that the melting point and heat of fusion decrease as the branch content increases. Further, comparisons have been made between these random ADMET EP copolymers, random EP copolymers made by typical chain addition techniques, and precisely branched ADMET EP copolymers.