MECHANICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF KENAF POWDER FILLED NATURAL RUBBER LATEX FOAM

Ahmad Fikri AK*, Hanafi I, and Zulkifli MA

Abstract

MECHANICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF KENAF POWDER FILLED NATURAL RUBBER LATEX FOAM Ahmad Fikri AK1*, Hanafi I1,2, and Zulkifli MA1

1School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.

2Cluster for Polymer Composites (CPC), Science and Engineering Research Centre, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia,14300 Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.

This research is carried out by incorporate Kenaf powder with natural rubber latex (NRL) compound and is foamed to make natural rubber latex foam (NRLF) by using a well known technique called Dunlop method. Different loading of Kenaf powder was added to NRL compound and was foamed to make NRLF. The tensile properties, and morphology of Kenaf filled NRLF was studied. Increase in Kenaf loading reduced the tensile strength and elongation at break and of a compound. Modulus at 100% elongation of the compound increased with increased in filler loading. The morphological and micro structural characterization has been performed by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Keywords: mechanical properties, natural rubber latex, kenaf, foams