Exfoliated sodium-montmorillonite in nitrile butadiene rubber nanocomposites with good properties

We prepared and utilized a novel ultrafine fully-vulcanized powder nitrile butadiene rubber (UFPNBR)/sodium montmorillonite (Na-MMT) nanocompound powder, in which nanoscale UFPNBR particles and nanoscale platelets of Na-MMT were isolated and stuck each other. When the UFPNBR/Na-MMT nanocompoud powder was mixed with crude nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), UFPNBR particles could be easily dispersed in NBR matrix because of good compatibility, and nanoscale Na-MMT was also dispersed well in NBR matrix due to the carrier aidance of UFPNBR particle, thus the NBR/UFPNBR/Na-MMT ternary nanocomposites adapting to industry was fabricated. X-ray diffraction test and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation indicated that nanoscale Na-MMT was dispersed well in NBR matrix. Compared with NBR/Na-MMT binary composites, NBR/UFPNBR/Na-MMT ternary nanocomposites have shorter vulcanization time and higher flame retardancy due to the exfoliated Na-MMT in NBR matrix.