Surface modification of natural rubber film by UV-induced graft copolymerization with methyl methacrylate

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) was directly grafted on natural rubber (NR) or sulfur prevulcanized (SP) NR surface. The rubber sheet was primarily treated with argon plasma, followed by exposure to air for generating active functional groups. After immersing in a mixture of 30% hydrogen peroxide and MMA in ethanol and water (1 : 1), the MMA grafting took place after UV-irradiation for 30-120 min. Results from the contact angle measurement and attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy showed that the highest amount of MMA grafting was achieved when using 13 wt % of MMA and UV irradiation time of 60 min. The tensile strength and percentage elongation at break of the modified SPNR sheet, having similar MMA grafting to that of NR, were in acceptable range as indicated in the standard glove's test (ASTM D3577). (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.