Natural Rubber/ Organoclay Nanocomposite from Tea (Camellia Sinensis) Seed Oil Derivative

Sodium salt of tea seed oil (TSO-Na) was organomodified with kaolin (China clay). The organo-kaolin was characterized by determining the FTIR and XRD. Results indicated that TSO-Na was successfully intercalated onto the kaolin surface. Nanocomposite of rubber copolymer with tea seed oil organomodified kaolin was prepared by incorporating 5phr organo-kaolin. The mechanical testing of the rubber vulcanizate involved the determination of tensile and tear property. The performance characteristics showed that there was considerable improvement in the tensile strength, tear strength and elongation at break properties of the organoclay filled vulcanizate compared to the unmodified polymer. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies revealed that the incorporation of 5phr organoclay has remarkable effect on the failure mechanism of the NR filled vulcanizate. This is an indication that the failure mechanism is strongly dependent on the reinforcement effect of the modified filler marked by a higher extent of rubber-filler matrix interaction. There is therefore indication that tea seed oil can be organomodified with kaolin to serve as nanofiller.