A novel synthetic route to natural rubber/montmorillonite nanocomposites using colloid stabilization–destabilization method

Abstract A novel synthetic route to the highly-loaded rubber nanocomposite was developed by a stabilization–destabilization process of colloidal mixtures using montmorillonite (MMT) and natural rubber (NR) as a model system. By analyzing the zeta potentials of the MMT and NR colloids, the stable and unstable conditions of their mixture were identified and subsequently used as the mixing and precipitating process conditions, respectively. The NR drops and MMT nanoplatelets were homogeneously mixed due to their electrostatic repulsion in the stabilized condition of pH > 10.5 and, then the stabilized colloidal mixture were forced to precipitate quickly by changing to pH