Creation of Hydrophobic Materials Fabricated from Soy Protein and Natural Rubber: Surface, Interface, and Properties

Hydrophobic materials were successfully prepared from SPI and NR by blending via freezing/lyophilizing. The interfacial interaction, surface properties, hydrophobicity, and mechanical properties, biodegradability as well as the biocompatibility were investigated. The blend sheets exhibited good interface adhesion and good optical transparency. Their hydrophobicity was significantly improved compared with pure soy protein sheets. XPS results proved the NR surface enrichment. Flexibility and toughness of the blend sheets were enhanced and phase inversion phenomena were observed. Furthermore, the blend sheets exhibited good biodegradability and biocompatibility capable of supporting cell adhesion and proliferation.