Ambient curable latex films and adhesives based on natural rubber bearing Acetoacetoxy functionality

The study described in this paper first demonstrates that a newly modified form of natural rubber, namely graft copolymers of natural rubber with poly (acetoacetoxyethyl methacrylate), NR‐g‐PAAEM, is able to undergo a cross‐linking reaction at room temperature by reaction with a water dispersible polyisocyanate based on hexamethylene diisocyanate (poly‐HDI). Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR‐FTIR) analysis indicated that amide groups were formed by the reaction of the acetoacetyl groups (AcAc) present in the grafted poly (acetoacetoxyethyl methacrylate) (PAAEM) chains with the poly‐HDI. This observation was accompanied by a noticeable increase in the tensile strength of the NR‐g‐PAAEM latex films when adding poly‐HDI to the latex prior to film formation. DMTA analyses also revealed a shift in the tan δ peaks, corresponding to the transitions of both NR‐g‐PAAEM and free PAAEM phases, to higher temperatures. These results provide firm evidence of cross‐linking between NR‐g‐PAAEM chains by reaction with poly‐HDI during film formation under ambient conditions. Adhesives for bonding wood to wood based on the NR‐g‐PAAEM latex were then prepared, using poly‐HDI as the cross‐linker. The lap shear strength of the resulting adhesives exhibited a maximum value of 2657 KPa when a poly‐HDI:AAEM molar ratio of 3:1 was employed. It was also observed that the adhesive attained about approximately 89% of the highest lap shear strength after it was allowed to set at 30°C for 24 hours. Hence, the use of poly‐HDI in cross‐linking NR particles bearing grafted PAAEM offers great potential for developing latex adhesives and coatings capable of curing under ambient conditions.