Poly(styrene-co-butadiene)/Maghnia-Organo-Montmorillonite Clay Nanocomposite. Preparation, Properties and Application as Membrane in the Separation of Methanol/Toluene Azeotropic Mixture by Pervaporation

Abstract

In order to improve the thermal and mechanical properties of poly(styrene-co-butadiene) (SBR) to use it as a pervaporation membrane in the separation of the azeotropic mixture toluene/methanol, poly(styrene-co-butadiene) crosslinked Maghnia-organo-montmonrillonite (CSBR/OMMT), a nanocomposite of different compositions was first prepared by a solvent casting method. SBR was crosslinked in situ in the presence of OMMT nanoparticles by an efficient vulcanization technique using sulfur as a crosslinking agent and zinc diethyldithiocarbamate as a catalyst. The structure and morphology of the hybrid materials obtained were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscope analysis. The thermal properties of these hybrid materials were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis/thermal differential analysis. The mechanical properties were studied by strength measurements. The results obtained occurred when the OMMT was incorporated in the CSBR matrix; a significant increase in the glass transition temperature of the SBR was observed which passed from −27 °C for virgin SBR to −21.5 °C for that containing 12 wt% of OMMT. The addition of OMMT nanoparticles to CSBR also improved the mechanical properties of this copolymer. When the OMMT content in the CSBR varied from 0 to 15% by weight, the tensile strength, the elongation at the nose and the modulus at 100% elongation increased from 3.45 to 6.25 MPa, from 162, 17 to 347.20% and 1.75 to 3.0 MPa, respectively. The results of pervaporation revealed that when the OMMT content varied between 3% and 12%, a significant increase in the total flux, the separation factor and the separation index by pervaporation increased from 260.67 to g m−2 h−1, 0.31 to 1.43, and 0.47 to 113.81 g m−2 h−1, respectively.

Optimization of mechanical and thermal properties of hybrid styrene‐butadiene rubber/nanoclay/graphite nanocomposites

“…Today, the majority of the rubbers market is held by synthetic rubbers 1 . Styrene‐butadiene rubber (SBR) after natural rubber (NR) is widely used as a synthetic copolymer elastomer (1,3‐butadiene and styrene monomers) in the tire industry, conveyor belts, and mechanical goods due to good resistance to abrasion, excellent aging stability, crack endurance, and also low cost 2–7 . However, the application of neat SBR in some cases is limited because of its poor mechanical properties according to the soft and weak nature of rubbers 8–10 .…”

“…1 Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) after natural rubber (NR) is widely used as a synthetic copolymer elastomer (1,3-butadiene and styrene monomers) in the tire industry, conveyor belts, and mechanical goods due to good resistance to abrasion, excellent aging stability, crack endurance, and also low cost. [2][3][4][5][6][7] However, the application of neat SBR in some cases is limited because of its poor mechanical properties according to the soft and weak nature of rubbers. [8][9][10] Hence, the rubbers containing nanofillers such as nanosilica (SiO 2 ), 11,12 carbon nanotubes (CNTs), 13 graphene oxide (GO), 14 and carbon black (CB) 15 have been utilized to enhance their properties and make them appropriate for industrial uses.…”