Review: Natural rubber - Improvement of properties

Abstract

Natural rubber (NR) is valuable material of natural origination with growing demand worldwide. Thus, the methods for NR property improvement are continuously developed. The article will be focused on methods of chemical modification of NR and the use of improved traditional fillers such as carbon black (CB) and silica. Modification reactions include epoxidation, hydrogenation, and grafting vinyl monomers onto NR molecules. Some methods of surface modification of NR film were also reviewed. Thanks to modification the NR degree of unsaturatiton is decrease that leads to its enhanced aging resistance. Besides, grafted functional groups may impart new, never met before properties to NR. Application of modified traditional fillers obviously increase their reinforcement possibility, particularly mechanical. Also, cellulose as a potential reinforcing filler is considered due to its ability to meet requirement of environment protection while keep the mechanical properties of NR products at acceptable high level.