Optimizing Sulfur Vulcanization for Enhanced Mechanical Performance of <italic style="font-style: italic">Hevea</italic> Latex-Dipped Film: Insights from AFM PeakForce Quantitative Nanomechanical Mapping

Narueporn Payungwong; Han Cheng; Ken Nakajima; Chee-Cheong Ho; Jitladda Sakdapipanich

doi:10.1007/s10118-024-3228-z

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Optimizing Sulfur Vulcanization for Enhanced Mechanical Performance of Hevea Latex-Dipped Film: Insights from AFM PeakForce Quantitative Nanomechanical Mapping

RESEARCH ARTICLE | Updated：2024-12-31

- Optimizing Sulfur Vulcanization for Enhanced Mechanical Performance of Hevea Latex-Dipped Film: Insights from AFM PeakForce Quantitative Nanomechanical Mapping
- Optimizing Sulfur Vulcanization for Enhanced Mechanical Performance of Hevea Latex-Dipped Film: Insights from AFM PeakForce Quantitative Nanomechanical Mapping
- 高分子科学（英文） 2025年43卷第1期页码：70-82
- Affiliations：
  
  a.Rubber Research Group, Department of Chemistry and Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
  b.National Key Laboratory for Tropical Crop Breeding, Rubber Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China
  c.Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ookayama 2-12-1, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
  d.Faculty of Science, University Tunku Abdul Rahman, Sungai Long Campus, Kajang 43000, Malaysia
- Author bio：
  
  jitladda.sak@mahidol.ac.th
- Funds：
  
  This work was financially supported by Mahidol University (Fundamental Fund: fiscal year 2024 by the National Science Research and Innovation Fund (NSRF), FF-078/2567), Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences for Science and Technology Innovation Team of National Tropical Agricultural Science Center (No. CATASCXTD202401) and the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) via the Royal Golden Jubilee Ph.D. Program (No. PHD/0150/2560). The authors also acknowledge the Faculty of Science, Mahidol University and the Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry (PERCH-CIC), Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation. Sincere appreciation is extended to the Thai Rubber Latex Corporation (Thailand) Public Co., Ltd. for supplying the NR samples. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements were performed at Tokyo Institute of Technology under the supervision of Professor Dr. Ken Nakajima.;Electronic supplementary information (ESI) is available free of charge in the online version of this article at http://doi.org/10.1007/s10118-024-3228-z.
- DOI：10.1007/s10118-024-3228-z
  中图分类号：
- 收稿：2024-08-03，
  
  修回：2024-08-26，
  
  录用：2024-08-31，
  
  网络首发：2024-10-21，
  
  纸质出版：2025-01-01
- Accepted：
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Payungwong, N.; Cheng, H.; Nakajima, K.; Ho, C. C.; Sakdapipanich, J. Optimizing sulfur vulcanization for enhanced mechanical performance of Hevea latex-dipped film: insights from AFM peakforce quantitative nanomechanical mapping. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2025, 43, 70–82

Narueporn Payungwong, Han Cheng, Ken Nakajima, et al. Optimizing Sulfur Vulcanization for Enhanced Mechanical Performance of Hevea Latex-Dipped Film: Insights from AFM PeakForce Quantitative Nanomechanical Mapping[J]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, 2025, 43(1): 70-82. DOI: 10.1007/s10118-024-3228-z.
Payungwong, N.; Cheng, H.; Nakajima, K.; Ho, C. C.; Sakdapipanich, J. Optimizing sulfur vulcanization for enhanced mechanical performance of Hevea latex-dipped film: insights from AFM peakforce quantitative nanomechanical mapping. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2025, 43, 70–82 DOI： 10.1007/s10118-024-3228-z.

Narueporn Payungwong, Han Cheng, Ken Nakajima, et al. Optimizing Sulfur Vulcanization for Enhanced Mechanical Performance of Hevea Latex-Dipped Film: Insights from AFM PeakForce Quantitative Nanomechanical Mapping[J]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, 2025, 43(1): 70-82. DOI: 10.1007/s10118-024-3228-z. DOI：

摘要

Latex-dipped films prepared using sulfur vulcanization with different systems exhibit varying mechanical properties. The efficient vulcanization (EV) system produces a more rigid film compared to the conventional vulcanization (CV) system. The Young's modulus of sectioned pre-vulcanized CNR film showed a uniform distribution and increased as sulfur content increased.

Abstract

This study delves into the pivotal role of sulfur vulcanization in defining the mechanical characteristics of natural rubber (NR) latex-dipped products. Utilizing sulfur vulcanization

known for its operational simplicity and cost-effectiveness

we examine its ability to enhance product elasticity and mechanical strength through various sulfidic bond formations such as mono-

di-

and polysulfidic bonds. Different vulcanization systems and sulfur contents were evaluated for their influence on the mechanical attributes of latex films

employing three types of NR latex

namely concentrated NR (CNR)

deproteinized NR (DPNR)

and small rubber particle NR (SRP)

each representing distinct non-rubber components (NRCs). The study utilized advanced atomic force microscopy (AFM) equipped with PeakForce Quantitative Nanomechanical Mapping (QNM) to visualize and measure Young's modulus distribution across the film of pre-vulcanized latex. Our findings reveal that films by CNR processed using the conventional vulcanization (CV) system exhibited enhanced tensile strength and elongation at break. It even showed a lower crosslink density than those processed using the efficient vulcanization (EV) system. Interestingly

DPNR films showed a more uniform distribution of Young's modulus

correlating well with their superior mechanical strength. In contrast

SRP films showed excessive network structure formation in the particles due to accelerated vulcanization rates

hampering subsequent post-vulcanization interparticle crosslinking in film formation and remaining more rigid. The overall results Illustrate clearly that the ultimate mechanical properties of the latex films are strongly dependent on the type of sulfidic bonds formed. This research reveals further the very intricate relationship between the vulcanization methods

sulfur content

and latex type in optimizing the mechanical performance of NR latex products. It provides valuable insights for industry practices aimed at improving the quality and performance of latex-dipped goods.

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Optimizing Sulfur Vulcanization for Enhanced Mechanical Performance of Hevea Latex-Dipped Film: Insights from AFM PeakForce Quantitative Nanomechanical Mapping

Optimizing Sulfur Vulcanization for Enhanced Mechanical Performance of Hevea Latex-Dipped Film: Insights from AFM PeakForce Quantitative Nanomechanical Mapping

DOI：10.1007/s10118-024-3228-z

摘要

Abstract

关键词

Keywords

references