Effect of modified tapioca starch on mechanical properties of styrene-grafted natural-rubber/starch composites
by Lee Xing Min; A. Rashid Azura
International Journal of Materials Engineering Innovation (IJMATEI), Vol. 4, No. 3/4, 2013

Abstract: Styrene-grafted natural rubber (SNR) latex was prepared using in-situ polymerisation, and tapioca starch was modified using poly(butyl acrylate) (PBA) grafting. Unmodified starch (ST) was also used as a comparison to the modified starch (MST). Both the rubber and starch components were blended at different starch loading from 0 to 100 parts per hundred rubber (phr), and then casted at room temperature. Mechanical tests of the SNR/ST and SNR/MST blends revealed that unmodified starch decreased the tensile strength of the rubber-starch composite. However, modified starch increased the tensile strength of the composite up to an optimum loading of the starch. Modified starch has better reinforcing properties than unmodified starch due to better miscibility with the rubber component. It is believed that the PBA chain grafts inhibits the starch's ability to form intra-molecular hydrogen bonding and inhibits crystallisation in the starch, thus improving the interaction between the modified starch and rubber molecules.

Online publication date: Sat, 19-Jul-2014

The full text of this article is only available to individual subscribers or to users at subscribing institutions.

 
Existing subscribers:
Go to Inderscience Online Journals to access the Full Text of this article.

Pay per view:
If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.

Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Materials Engineering Innovation (IJMATEI):
Login with your Inderscience username and password:

    Username:        Password:         

Forgotten your password?


Want to subscribe?
A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe.

If you still need assistance, please email subs@inderscience.com