Inhomogeneous Natural Network Promoting Strain-induced Crystallization: A Mesoscale Model of Natural Rubber

Han Liu; Guang-Su Huang; Lai-Yun Wei; Jian Zeng; Xuan Fu; Cheng Huang; Jin-Rong Wu

doi:10.1007/s10118-019-2267-3

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Inhomogeneous Natural Network Promoting Strain-induced Crystallization: A Mesoscale Model of Natural Rubber

ARTICLE | Updated：2021-02-18

- Inhomogeneous Natural Network Promoting Strain-induced Crystallization: A Mesoscale Model of Natural Rubber
- Chinese Journal of Polymer Science Vol. 37, Issue 11, Pages: 1142-1151(2019)
- Affiliations：
  
  College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
- Author bio：
  
  guangsu-huang@hotmail.com (G.S.H.)
  wujinrong@scu.edu.cn (J.R.W.)
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1007/s10118-019-2267-3
  CLC：
- Received：18 February 2019，
  
  Revised：2019-3-21，
  
  Accepted：30 March 2019，
  
  Online First：06 June 2019，
  
  Published：2019-11
- Accepted：
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Liu, H.; Huang, G. S.; Wei, L. Y.; Zeng, J.; Fu, X.; Huang, C.; Wu, J. R. Inhomogeneous natural network promoting strain-induced crystallization: A mesoscale model of natural rubber. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2019, 37, 1142–1151.

Han Liu, Guang-Su Huang, Lai-Yun Wei, et al. Inhomogeneous Natural Network Promoting Strain-induced Crystallization: A Mesoscale Model of Natural Rubber[J]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, 2019, 37(11): 1142-1151.
Liu, H.; Huang, G. S.; Wei, L. Y.; Zeng, J.; Fu, X.; Huang, C.; Wu, J. R. Inhomogeneous natural network promoting strain-induced crystallization: A mesoscale model of natural rubber. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2019, 37, 1142–1151. DOI： 10.1007/s10118-019-2267-3.

Han Liu, Guang-Su Huang, Lai-Yun Wei, et al. Inhomogeneous Natural Network Promoting Strain-induced Crystallization: A Mesoscale Model of Natural Rubber[J]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, 2019, 37(11): 1142-1151. DOI： 10.1007/s10118-019-2267-3.

摘要

Abstract

Although synthetic rubbers show continuously improved mechanical properties

natural rubber (NR) remains irreplaceable in the rubber family due to its superior mechanical properties. A mainstream viewpoint regarding the superiority of NR is that NR possesses a natural network formed by linking the poly(

cis

-1

4-isoprene) chain terminals to protein and phospholipid aggregates; after vulcanization

the natural network additionally contributes to rubber mechanics by both increasing the network density and promoting the strain-induced crystallization (SIC) behavior. However

the reason why the natural network promotes SIC is still unclear; in particular

only using the increased network density cannot explain our finding that the NR shows smaller onset strain of SIC than Gel (the gel component of NR with higher network density) and even vulcanized NR. Herein

we point out that the inhomogeneous chain deformation is the alternative reason why SIC of NR takes place at smaller strain than that of Gel. More specifically

although the natural network is homogenous on the subchain length scale based on the proton double-quantum NMR results

it is essentially inhomogeneous on mesoscale (100 nm)

as revealed by the small angle X-ray scattering analysis. This inhomogeneous network also leads to the mesoscale deformation inhomogeneity

as detected by the orientation of stearic acid (SA) probe

thus resulting in the smaller onset strain of SIC of NR. Based on the experimental results

a mesoscale model is proposed to qualitatively describe the crucial roles of inhomogeneous structure and deformation of natural network in NR’s mechanical properties

providing a clue from nature to guide the development of high-performance rubbers with controlled structures at mesoscale.

关键词

Keywords

references

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