Journal of Rubber Research最新文献

{"title":"Enhanced biocompatibility and mechanical properties in carbon nanotube-reinforced natural rubber nanocomposites: a review for biomedical applications","authors":"Nimota Adenike-Yakubu Alade,&nbsp;Oladiran Kamardeen Abubakre,&nbsp;Rasaq Olawale Medupin,&nbsp;Ambali Saka Abdulkareem,&nbsp;Idris Babatunde Akintunde,&nbsp;Saheed Mustapha,&nbsp;Jimoh Oladejo Tijani,&nbsp;Rasheed Aremu Muriana,&nbsp;John Adeniran James","doi":"10.1007/s42464-026-00370-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42464-026-00370-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Carbon nanotube (CNT)-reinforced natural rubber (NR) nanocomposites represent a promising material platform for biomedical applications, particularly prosthetic systems requiring flexibility, durability, and mechanical resilience. These composites exhibit enhanced tensile strength, elasticity, and fatigue resistance, while offering improved biocompatibility when appropriately functionalised. This review examines recent advances in CNT synthesis, including chemical vapour deposition (CVD) and arc discharge methods, together with covalent and non-covalent functionalisation approaches aimed at improving dispersion and reducing cytotoxicity. Despite encouraging progress, challenges persist, including CNT agglomeration, long-term biocompatibility uncertainties, regulatory constraints, and production costs. Key research gaps are identified, including sustainable synthesis routes, standardised chronic biocompatibility evaluation, and patient-specific customisation. Addressing dispersion control, long-term safety validation, and scalability will be essential for establishing CNT-NR composites as next-generation materials for durable, multifunctional prosthetic devices.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":662,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rubber Research","volume":"29 2","pages":"351 - 368"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148009340","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Processability and thermomechanical properties of PA80/EPDM blends","authors":"Sujith Nadarajan,&nbsp;Siby Varghese,&nbsp;Shera Mathew","doi":"10.1007/s42464-026-00361-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42464-026-00361-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A pre-crosslinked (80% vulcanised) form of natural rubber (PA80) was blended with a medium-molecular-weight ethylene-propylene-diene elastomer (EPDM) in different proportions using a two-stage mixing process. The processability, morphology and thermomechanical properties of the blends were evaluated against an unmodified natural rubber/EPDM (NR/EPDM) blend to identify the optimum blend ratio suitable for extrusion applications. In the proposed PA80/EPDM blend system, extruded profiles with higher PA80 content exhibited smoother contours and lower die swell under the same processing conditions. A combination of ultra-fast and semi-ultra-fast accelerators in PA80/EPDM blends having comparable unsaturation levels resulted in faster and uniform vulcanisation. The viscosity mismatches existing between the blend partners were made minimal with sufficient pre-mastication of PA80. Hence, the thermomechanical properties, filler dispersion and morphological analysis of the PA80/EPDM blends showed satisfactory results, whereas the samples with adequate EPDM content (30 phr) resisted the ozone attack effectively. Therefore, PA80 can be considered a cost-effective substitute for EPDM profiles (30–50% replacement) without considerable property reduction.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":662,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rubber Research","volume":"29 2","pages":"299 - 316"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148009341","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Response of rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg., clone RRIV 106) to low frequency tapping (LFT) systems in Southeast region of Vietnam","authors":"Ngoc Giau Thi Pham,&nbsp;Nang Nguyen,&nbsp;Duy Nhat Van Nguyen,&nbsp;Hai Van Truong,&nbsp;Ngoc Diem Vo Le,&nbsp;Pha Anh Tran,&nbsp;Eric Gohet","doi":"10.1007/s42464-026-00360-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42464-026-00360-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In the context of low rubber price, coupled with labour restructuring, the Vietnamese rubber industry continues to face a shortage of skilled tappers. An experiment was established in April 2018 during the first year of tapping of clone RRIV 106 at Dong Phu Rubber Joint Stock Company in Binh Phuoc province. The objective of the experiment was to assess the impact of low-frequency tapping systems (d5 and d6) on latex yield, productivity, and physiological parameters. Compared to the control d4 ET2.5% 4/y, the dry rubber yield per tree per tapping as well as labour productivity in treatments d5 ET2.5% 6–8/y and d6 ET2.5% 8–10/y increased by 20–40%. The tapper requirements for low tapping frequency (d5 and d6) were 20% and 33% lower than those for d4, respectively. However, land productivity (kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) decreased by 1–4% and 6–7% when the tapping frequency was reduced from d4 to d5 and d6, respectively, due to a decrease in the number of tapping cuts per year. After seven years of consecutive tapping on the BO-1 tapping panel, the application of a low-frequency tapping system combined with using appropriate frequencies and dosages of stimulants did not adversely affect the biochemical parameters of rubber latex cells. The reduction of tapping frequency and intensification of hormonal stimulation had no significant impact on the girth increment of clone RRIV 106. Overall, under the conditions of Southeast Vietnam, a d5 tapping system with 6–8 stimulations per year appears to be the most suitable option for RRIV 106, offering a favourable balance between land productivity, labour saving, and the physiological balance of the tree.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":662,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rubber Research","volume":"29 2","pages":"289 - 298"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148009177","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development and performance evaluation of a soil filling machine (SOFIL) for rubber seedling polybags at small-scale nursery","authors":"Mohamad Khairul Akmal Amran,&nbsp;Muhammad Afiq Misri,&nbsp;Shamsul Kamaruddin,&nbsp;Rasyidah Mohamad Razar","doi":"10.1007/s42464-026-00369-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42464-026-00369-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In 2022, the total area of rubber cultivated was around 11.7 million hectares in Thailand, Indonesia, China, Malaysia, Vietnam and India, producing 12.8 million tonnes of natural rubber annually. Rubber cultivation requires annual replanting, replacing old and low-yielding rubber trees with new and high-yielding rubber clones. Rubber seedling nursery functions to support the production of new planting materials. However, because the seed season occurs only twice a year, producing rubber seedlings as rootstocks necessitates consistent output, particularly in polybag preparation. Extensive labour will be required to support seedling production. To maintain a consistent supply of planting materials, a soil-filling machine was developed. Therefore, a small-scale machine performance trial was conducted. Factors like Rain, sunlight exposure, and variable soil moisture levels can all have an impact on the efficiency of the machine and performance. As a result, the filled polybags were evaluated, with the highest production rate recorded at 334 polybags per hour and the highest acceptance rate at 84%.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":662,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rubber Research","volume":"29 2","pages":"341 - 349"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148009175","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influence of nanoclay on the mechanical and swelling resistance properties of ternary NR/SBR/NBR rubber blend composites","authors":"J. Srinivas,&nbsp;M. S. Jagatheeshwaran,&nbsp;S. Vishvanathperumal,&nbsp;A. Elayaperumal","doi":"10.1007/s42464-026-00354-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42464-026-00354-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study explores the development of high-performance elastomeric composites through the synergistic combination of polymer blending and nanofiller reinforcement. Specifically, ternary rubber blends comprising natural rubber (NR), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), and acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) were reinforced with nanoclay (NC) to enhance mechanical and durability properties. The blend formulation consisted of 30 parts per hundred rubber (phr) each of NR and SBR, 40 phr of NBR, and 3 phr of Ultrablend 4000 as a compatibilizer, while NC loading was systematically varied. The incorporation of nanoclay not only stabilized the scorch time and shortened the optimum cure time but also significantly improved tensile strength, stress at 100% elongation, elongation at break, abrasion resistance, and compression set. The reduction in mole percent uptake with increasing NC content further indicated improved swelling resistance due to enhanced crosslinking density and barrier effects. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) of tensile-fractured surfaces confirmed improved interfacial adhesion and NC dispersion within the NR/SBR/NBR matrix. The findings demonstrate the dual role of NC as both a reinforcing agent and a morphology stabilizer, highlighting its potential in designing multifunctional elastomeric materials with superior mechanical performance.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":662,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rubber Research","volume":"29 2","pages":"215 - 231"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148009457","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unlocking Hevea’s resilience: a review on transgenic rubber and pharmaceutical protein production in latex","authors":"Siti Shuhada Shuib,&nbsp;Sunderasan Elumalai,&nbsp;Arokiaraj Pappusamy,&nbsp;Parameswari Namasivayam,&nbsp;Nur Fatihah Mohd Yusoff,&nbsp;Suhaimi Napis,&nbsp;Thean Chor Leow","doi":"10.1007/s42464-026-00363-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42464-026-00363-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The natural rubber tree (<i>Hevea brasiliensis</i>) is a sustainable agroforestry species and play a vital role in supporting the global rubber industry. In addition to its latex production, <i>Hevea</i> has emerged as a biofactory for its potential in pharmaceutical protein expression. Latex can be collected through non-destructive tapping, allowing continuous harvesting over long periods of time. It enables production of recombinant proteins at a relatively low cost. These characteristics highlight its potential for molecular pharming in addition to its established role in rubber production. Since the initial confined field trials carried out in Malaysia, research on the genetic transformation of <i>Hevea</i> has progressed steadily. The Malaysian Rubber Board has developed the production of pharmaceutical proteins of human atrial natriuretic factor and human protamine. In parallel, studies conducted by various research groups have contributed to improvements in transformation efficiency, promoter characterisation, and somatic embryogenesis protocols. Gene-editing tools such as CRISPR/Cas9 have been introduced and being considered for future application improving transgene stability and protein yield. Collaborative research efforts have also improved the understanding of latex-specific expression and regeneration constraints. Despite these advances, several challenges remain in the development of latex-based molecular farming. Recombinant protein yields are often low, protein instability and concerns related to allergenicity and biosafety regulation remain significant. Continued improvement in genetic engineering strategies, protein recovery methods, and regulatory assessment will be necessary. This review summarises progress in transgenic rubber research, discusses current challenges and biosafety considerations, and highlights future opportunities for developing <i>Hevea</i> latex as a sustainable platform for pharmaceutical protein production.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":662,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rubber Research","volume":"29 2","pages":"329 - 340"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148008794","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative evaluation of epichlorohydrin-based CO, ECO, and GECO elastomer systems: structure–property relationships","authors":"Davut Aksüt,&nbsp;Arta Babapour,&nbsp;Murat Şen","doi":"10.1007/s42464-026-00356-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42464-026-00356-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study provides a comparative evaluation of epichlorohydrin-based elastomers, including poly(epichlorohydrin) (CO), poly(epichlorohydrin-co-ethylene oxide) (ECO), and poly(epichlorohydrin-co-ethylene oxide-co-allyl glycidyl ether) (GECO), with the goal of clarifying structure–property relationships driven by molecular architecture. These elastomers are commonly used in oil and fuel hoses, seals, gaskets, and automotive sealing applications that require low-temperature flexibility, thermal stability, and chemical resistance. The curing behaviour, mechanical properties, viscoelastic energy dissipation, crosslink density, and thermo-mechanical relaxation behaviour were systematically studied using simplified and consistent formulations. The results show that the addition of ethylene oxide and allyl glycidyl ether significantly affects curing rates, network structure, and relaxation characteristics. ECO cures faster and is stiffer, whereas CO exhibits better ductility and energy dissipation. Conversely, GECO demonstrates improved thermo-mechanical stability due to a higher extent of chemically effective crosslinks. Overall, these findings emphasise the importance of molecular architecture in customising the performance of epichlorohydrin-based elastomers and offer key insights for optimising elastomer design for specific industrial applications.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":662,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rubber Research","volume":"29 2","pages":"233 - 245"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148008645","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Vibration testing and analysis of paper feeding spindle considering dynamic characteristics of rubber layer","authors":"Zhou Chang,&nbsp;Zhengbin Zhao,&nbsp;Wenhan Cao,&nbsp;Qian Jia,&nbsp;Muhammad Bilal","doi":"10.1007/s42464-026-00359-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42464-026-00359-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Printing accuracy is influenced by the dynamic properties of the rubber layer on the paper feeding spindle. Due to the inherent complexity in precisely calculating the dynamic response of rubber, this work presents an approximate analytical approach. In this study, a nonlinear equivalence model was applied to rubber materials, treating the rubber and steel as an equivalent composite material. Modal analysis and calculations were then performed based on this model. The elastic modulus and Poisson’s ratio of the rubber were determined experimentally and used as inputs for the modal simulation. The computed modal characteristics of the composite spindle were compared with those of the steel spindle. Experimental modal analysis was conducted using the LMS test facility (Siemens vibration analysis software). Additionally, online vibration measurements of the rubber layer on the paper feeding spindle were taken using a laser vibrometer. The results indicated that the first two natural frequencies obtained from the simulation were close to the first two dominant test frequencies of the rubber layer with the highest amplitudes. This confirms that vibration of the rubber layer is the primary source of spindle vibration and validates the reliability of the laser vibrometer measurements.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":662,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rubber Research","volume":"29 2","pages":"275 - 287"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148008648","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influence of copper ferrite nanoparticles on the mechanical, thermal and dielectric properties of natural rubber","authors":"M. Abila Jeba Queen,&nbsp;P. Aji Udhaya,&nbsp;K. C. Bright","doi":"10.1007/s42464-026-00357-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42464-026-00357-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Copper ferrite nanoparticles were synthesised via a green synthesis route and mechanically incorporated into the natural rubber matrix to develop a flexible nanocomposites with modified mechanical, thermal and dielectric properties. The incorporation of copper ferrite alters the stiffness, thermal transport and dielectric response of the natural rubber. While the tensile strength decreases from 0.85 to 0.63 MPa, tensile modulus increases from 0.135 to 0.219 MPa, indicating enhanced stiffness due to restricted polymer chain mobility. A significant reduction in the thermal conductivity from 0.7478 to 0.2259 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ confirms improved thermal insulation behaviour. Thermal analysis demonstrates delayed degradation and increased thermal stability in the nanocomposites, attributed to strong interfacial interactions and the presence of thermally stable ferrite phases. Dielectric studies reveal enhanced polarisation behaviour at elevated temperatures and frequencies.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":662,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rubber Research","volume":"29 2","pages":"247 - 258"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148008647","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High-temperature thermo-mechanical and dynamic properties of surface-modified waste-rubber and aluminised glass fibre reinforced UAV composites","authors":"Anumula Swarnalatha,&nbsp;Seeniappan Kaliappan,&nbsp;L. Natrayan,&nbsp;M. Ramya","doi":"10.1007/s42464-026-00350-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42464-026-00350-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This research examines the fatigue, creep, and dynamic mechanical properties of vinyl ester composites reinforced with a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) core, alkali-silane-treated aluminised glass fibre, and waste rubber powder. Four composite systems with different fibre-filler configurations, along with a reference sample, were developed. These were designated as M (100 vol.% matrix), MA (30 vol.% surface-treated fibre and 20 vol.% PET core), and MAR0, MAR1, and MAR2 (fibre and PET core with 0.5, 1, and 2 vol.% surface-treated rubber particles, respectively). The composite containing 1 vol.% rubber powder (MAR1) demonstrated superior fatigue resistance, with cyclic lives of 27,951, 26,298, and 25,716 cycles at 25%, 50%, and 75% of ultimate tensile strength (UTS), respectively. In contrast, the 2 vol.% rubber-filled composite (MAR2) exhibited the greatest creep resistance, showing minimal strains of 0.0037 at 5,000 s, 0.0125 at 10,000 s, and 0.0351 at 15,000 s, attributed to the uniform distribution of rubber particles, which improved stress dissipation. MAR2 also displayed enhanced viscoelastic performance, with a storage modulus of 6.7 GPa and a reduced loss factor of 0.67. These improvements are primarily associated with the viscoelastic nature of the rubber, which, when strongly bonded within the rigid composite framework, effectively regulates stress relaxation and energy dissipation. Overall, the results highlight the potential of these hybrid composites for aerospace applications, particularly in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) requiring morphing wing structures.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":662,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rubber Research","volume":"29 1","pages":"171 - 180"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147686678","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}