Studies on natural rubber nanocomposites by incorporating amine functionalised graphene oxide

The present study reports the synthesis of amine functionalised Graphene Oxide by two different methods, one by a modified Bucherer reaction and the other by using dodecyl amine. The synthesised amine functionalised Graphene oxide by modified Bucherer reaction (AGO) and by using dodecyl amine (DGO) was characterised by Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Raman spectroscopy. A series of natural rubber (NR)-AGO and NR-DGO nanocomposites with varying compositions of AGO and DGO were prepared by the latex mixing method. The morphological, mechanical, and dielectric properties of the nanocomposites were analysed by SEM, TEM, universal testing machine (UTM), and impedance analyser. The results obtained for NR-AGO and NR-DGO nanocomposites revealed enhancement in mechanical and dielectric properties from neat NR and NR-Graphene Oxide (GO) nanocomposites. The tensile strength of NR has been improved by almost 70%, tensile modulus (300% elongation) by 85%, and tear strength by 67% on the addition of 0.5 phr of AGO and by the addition of 0.5 phr DGO, the tensile strength of NR has been improved by 74%, tensile modulus (300% elongation) by 87% and tear strength by 73%.