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ARTICLE

Effect of N,N-Dimethylacetamide/lithium chloride modified microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) on the processing behaviour and properties of celluloserubber (NBR and EPDM) composites

LAVANYA, R¹, NATCHIMUTHU, N^2,*

1 Department of Chemistry, Dr. MGR Educational and Research Institute, Chennai-600095, India.
2 Department of Rubber and Plastics Technology, MIT Campus, Anna University, Chennai 600044, India.

* Corresponding Author: e-mail:

Journal of Polymer Materials 2021, 38(1-2), 89-100. https://doi.org/10.32381/JPM.2021.38.1-2.8

Abstract

Rubber composites of nitrile (NBR) and Ethylene-Propylene-Diene (EPDM) containing unmodified and modified microcrystalline cellulose(MCC) are evaluated for their processing behaviour. The used modified MCC (T-MCC) was treated by N,N-dimethylacetamide/lithium chloride (DMAc/ LiCl).ATR-FTIR spectra of NBR-MCC composites have indicated N-H stretching and bending vibrations and confirmed interactions between nitrile rubber and MCC. AFM studies have indicated that the average roughness of NBR-T-MCC was significantly reduced when compared to that of NBR-untreated MCC. Important processing parameters such as scorch time and cure time are found to decrease significantly for both NBR and EPDM composites withT-MCC. Mechanical properties of these composites are found to be low irrespective of cellulose. While swelling of NBR-T-MCC composites was found to be higher in ethylmethyl ketone and DMAc/LiCl solvent systems. The composites with EPDM rubber do not indicate any swelling in DMAc/LiCl and in toluene.

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