Abstract:
Transportation of organic compounds into natural rubber by supercritical carbon dioxide indicates that the carbon dioxide has no effect on rubber molecules. When rubber is masticated mechanically for 15 minutes, its mooney viscosity and molecular weight is reduced by 20% and 32% from its initial value respectively. This facilitates penetration of paraffin wax and propylene glycol into natural rubber in a higher quantity. At 59 ํC and 80 bar, paraffin wax penetrates into natural rubber at 47 phr, after 60 minutes, which is the highest when compares with other organic compounds. It also increases the green strength of natural rubber by 89% of its initial value and decreases the elongation at break by 82%. At the same condition, propylene glycol penetrates into natural rubber only at 1.4 phr, and the elongation at break of the rubber is increased by 60% without changing the green strength. Experiments at various conditions indicated that the temperature had a slight effect on penetration of paraffin wax into natural rubber. On the contrary, the temperature and pressure showed profound effects on the penetration of propylene glycol. This is because the small polar molecules may penetrate into the natural rubber in a minute quantity at normal conditions. Thus, supercritical carbon dioxide acts as a good carrier that enhances the penetration of propylene glycol into the natural rubber