Reinforcement of Natural Rubber with Core‐Shell Structure Silica‐Poly(Methyl Methacrylate) Nanoparticles

A highly performing natural rubber/silica (NR/SiO 2 ) nanocomposite with a SiO 2 loading of 2 wt% was prepared by combining similar dissolve mutually theory with latex compounding techniques. Before polymerization, double bonds were introduced onto the surface of the SiO 2 particles with the silane‐coupling agent. The core‐shell structure silica‐poly(methyl methacrylate), SiO 2 ‐PMMA, nanoparticles were formed by grafting polymerization of MMA on the surface of the modified SiO 2 particles via in situ emulsion, and then NR/SiO 2 nanocomposite was prepared by blending SiO 2 ‐PMMA and PMMA‐modified NR (NR‐PMMA). The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results show that PMMA has been successfully introduced onto the surface of SiO 2 , which can be well dispersed in NR matrix and present good interfacial adhesion with NR phase. Compared with those of pure NR, the thermal resistance and tensile properties of NR/SiO 2 nanocomposite are significantly improved.