Nanodiamond Glass with Rubber Bond in Natural Rubber

Abstract

Nanodiamond glass is an amorphous solid consisting of nanodiamond as a nanoparticle. The several-nm-space between the nanodiamonds is filled with a medium that reversibly deforms and recovers. Hence, nanodiamonds linked in the medium are arranged in several-nm intervals. To prepare the nanodiamond glass, nanodiamonds are dispersed as inorganic nanoparticles with highly reactive functional groups into natural rubber as an incompressible medium exhibiting reversible deformation and recovery. Nanodiamond glass can be distinguished from nanodiamond-filled rubber, which exhibits ordinary entropic elasticity. Natural rubber particles dispersed in water (i.e., latex) are used to prepare nanodiamond glass, chemically embed nanodiamonds onto the surface of the natural rubber particles, and subsequently attach the surfaces together to achieve close packing of the nanodiamonds. Increasing the modulus of natural rubber constrained in the nanospaces ensures the energetic elasticity of nanodiamond glass. This work demonstrates that nanodiamond glass with energetic elasticity is a new research field.

Entropic and Energetic Elasticities of Natural Rubber with a Nanomatrix Structure

“…The properties of filled rubber are related to the rubber–rubber, rubber–filler, and filler–filler interactions, which are inherently held in filled rubber. − The rubber–rubber interaction is an entanglement and a cross-linking network because of the interchain interaction (chain entanglement network, CEN). In contrast, the rubber–filler interaction is a filler network composed of filler particles that are joined by bridging polymer chains attached more or less firmly to the particles through entanglement trapped at the filler–polymer interface (bridged filler network, BFN), and the filler–filler network is formed by direct particle contact (contact filler network, CFN).…”

Synthetic Rubber with the Tensile Strength of Natural Rubber

“…For instance, the stress value at 100% strain increases with increase in the number of cross-linking junctions per unit volume (i.e., increase in cross-link density) when the rubber molecules are completely cross-linked. − By contrast, when the rubber molecules are incompletely cross-linked, the value of stress at 100% strain for the partially cross-linked polymer is approximately the same as that for the un-cross-linked polymer used as a source because stress concentration occurs in the un-cross-linked portion . In addition, the value of stress at 100% strain increases substantially when the island-nanomatrix structure is formed. , Thus, we must determine the ratio between cross-linked and un-cross-linked portions because this ratio can be converted into the gel content. The gel content is estimated from the weight of the toluene-insoluble fraction and the weight of the whole sample.…”

“…36 In addition, the value of stress at 100% strain increases substantially when the island-nanomatrix structure is formed. 29,37 Thus, we must determine the ratio between cross-linked and un-cross-linked portions because this ratio can be converted into the gel content. The gel content is estimated from the weight of the toluene-insoluble fraction and the weight of the whole sample.…”

Construction of Cu(DMF)2Cl Active Sites for Gas–Solid Acetylene Dimerization: Effects of DMF Ligand and Catalytic Mechanism

“…Chloroprene rubber (CR) is a versatile polymer material that is produced by polymerizing chloroprene monomers and has broad application prospects in various industries. − Acetylene dimerization to monovinylacetylene (MVA) is a crucial chemical process for producing CR in the industry, which is very popular in coal-rich regions . In addition, MVA is also a crucial intermediate in the synthesis of significant chemical products such as benzene, styrene, chloroprene, and butanedione .…”