Use of epoxidized natural rubber as a toughening agent in plastics

Abstract

At present, the rubber toughening of plastics has become an attractive field of study in polymer science and technology because brittleness is known to be a drawback in many engineering plastics; it can cause premature failure during application. Among existing rubber materials, epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) has been widely used as an impact modifier or toughening agent in a large number of engineering plastics; in particular, it enhances the impact strength, which deteriorates with the incorporation of other additives, such as fillers and flame retardants. ENR is a modification product from natural rubber produced via an epoxidation reaction. ENR also has good chemical resistance. In this review, we aim to provide a concise current status in the field of ENR toughening agents for plastics with a brief discussion of their associated problems and potential applications.