The characterization of interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) based on NR/PMMA / Faizahani Mashhod

It is generally accepted that the effects of TMPTA crosslinker content are the key parameters in determining the characterization of IPN based on NR/PMMA compound. It is also defined that, the crosslinker also plays the most important component which influences the characterizations, thermal behavior and the degree of crosslinking of IPN. IPN of NR/PMMA was prepared by solution polymerization of MMA with the presence of NR solution and TMPTA as a crosslinker. Structural characterization of the NR/PMMA interpenetrating polymer network was investigated by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) whereby the strong peak at 809cm"1 and 1630 cm"'based on TMPTA C=CH2 structure is reduced in the IPN structure due to the increases of TMPTA content which have been expected to occurred due to the complete reaction of IPN. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) was used to study the Tg at which the Tg value is increased with the presence of TMPTA and Soxhlet Extraction Method was used to determined the degree of crosslinking of the IPN. The degree of crosslinking increased due to the increased in TMPTA content in the NR/PMMA compound.