Preparation and properties of natural rubber/chitosan microsphere blends

• Published in: Micro & nano letters Vol. 12; no. 6; pp. 386 - 390
• Main Authors: Ming-zhe, Lv, Li-feng, Wang, Lei, Fang, Pu-wang, Li, Si-dong, Li
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Stevenage The Institution of Engineering and Technology 01.06.2017; John Wiley & Sons, Inc
• Subjects: antibacterial activity; antibacterial properties; chemical cross‐linking; Chitosan; chitosan microsphere content; chitosan microsphere suspension; Contact angle; Crosslinking; differential scanning calorimeter; Differential scanning calorimetry; Gloves; hydrophilic properties; hydrophilicity; Infrared analysis; infrared spectra; infrared spectrometer; Infrared spectrometers; ion induction; Latex; Mechanical properties; Microspheres; Mixtures; Natural rubber; natural rubber latex; natural rubber‐chitosan microsphere blend preparation; particle diameter; particle size; particle size analyser; Polydispersity; polydispersity index; polymer blends; rubber; scanning electron microscopy; surface contact angle analyser; Thermal analysis; Thermal stability; thermogravimetric analyser; water contact angle; antibacterial activity; particle size analyser; particle size; polymer blends; infrared spectrometer; surface contact angle analyser; natural rubber latex; differential scanning calorimeter; rubber; hydrophilicity; chitosan microsphere content; scanning electron microscopy; ion induction; hydrophilic properties; chitosan microsphere suspension; thermogravimetric analyser; chemical cross-linking; antibacterial properties; contact angle; thermal stability; water contact angle; mechanical properties; particle diameter; natural rubber-chitosan microsphere blend preparation; differential scanning calorimetry; polydispersity index; infrared spectra
• ISSN: 1750-0443; 1750-0443
• DOI: 10.1049/mnl.2016.0775

Chitosan microspheres were prepared by ion induction and chemical cross-linking using water as the medium. Natural rubber/chitosan microsphere blends were then prepared by blending the chitosan microsphere suspension with natural rubber latex. An infrared spectrometer, particle size analyser, scanning electron microscope, surface contact angle analyser, thermogravimetric analyser, and differential scanning calorimeter were employed for structure and property characterisation. The results showed that the average particle diameter and the polydispersity index of chitosan microspheres were 323.8 nm and 0.283, respectively. The thermal stability and mechanical properties of natural rubber/chitosan blends were enhanced by introducing chitosan microspheres into natural rubber latex. The water contact angle was significantly decreased, from 94.64° to 55.47°, indicating improved hydrophilic properties for the natural rubber/chitosan film. The natural rubber/chitosan blends showed excellent antibacterial properties when the chitosan microsphere content was >4.00% w/w.