Preparation and characterization of water-swellable natural rubbers

Water-swellable rubbers were prepared by dispersing the superabsorbent polymer particles, sodium polyacrylate particles, in natural rubber, and their water absorption properties were investigated. Sodium polyacrylate particles were synthesized using the inverse suspension polymerization technique, and their thermal and water absorption properties were characterized. The equilibrium water uptake in sodium polyacrylate particles was strongly dependent on both the salt concentration of aqueous media and crosslinking density of polymer. The dynamic and equilibrium water-swelling behavior of the prepared rubbers were significantly affected by addition of carbon black, hydrophilic polymer, and coupling agent. Those effects were well explained by microphotographic morphologies obtained using a scanning electron microscope. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 80: 115–121, 2001