EFFECTS OF POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL AS ALTERNATIVE ACTIVATOR IN A BAMBOO FIBRE FILLED NATURAL RUBBER COMPOSITE

There is a growing interest in the research community of the possibility of reducing or total

elimination of zinc oxide (ZnO) as activator in rubber compounds. This study therefore is an

attempt in that direction to study the effect of polyethylene glycol (PEG) as an alternative

activator in rubber compounds. Various levels of polyethylene glycol (0,2,3,4,5,6 phr) and zinc

oxide (as reference) were compounded with 100phr of natural rubber and other compounding

additives. The effects of both polyethylene glycol and zinc oxide were investigated on the

mechanical properties of the composite. The results obtained shows that polyethylene glycol has

the potential as an activator. But one significant phenomenon noticed in this study is that for

modulus polyethylene glycol shows no effect of reversion cure unlike zinc oxide. It is our hope

from evidence shown in this study that polyethylene glycol could provide alternative route for

activation of natural rubber compounds.

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