DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH FUNCTIONAL POLYMER: STUDY ON GRAFT – COPOLYMERIZATION REACTION OF STYRENE ONTO DEPROTEINIZED NATURAL RUBBER

Abstract

   Styrene - deproteinized natural rubber (DPNR) grafting copolymerization using emulsion polymerization with tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) - tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHPO)  as a redox initiator was investigated. The DPNR was prepared by adding SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate) and urea into the high-ammoniated natural rubber (HANR) latex and followed by centrifugation. DPNR was successfully prepared with lowest nitrogenous content about 0.015 % w/w by centrifugation at 10000 rpm for three times repetition. Then 1HNMR was used to confirm the graft copolymer. The thermal properties of DPNR and graft styrene copolymer were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The result demonstrates the ability of styrene grafting to improve the thermal stability of DPNR.