Antioxidating and reinforcing effect of polydopamine functionalized silica on natural rubber latex films

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the demand for natural latex products with increased mechanical properties and aging resistance has surged. Based on the excellent adhesion and antioxidant properties of polydopamine (PDA), we employed a one-pot method to modify the surface of silica substrates using PDA containing a polyphenol structure, to prepare a reinforced silica-PDA composite latex material with antioxidant properties. As expected, the silica-PDA composite achieved both uniform dispersion and good interfacial interactions with natural rubber latex (NRL). In addition, compared with common NRL/silica films, the mechanical properties of the NRL/silica-PDA film were significantly improved; specifically, silica-PDA can highly-enhanced the mechanical property of NRL film from 24.94 to 32.18 MPa of tensile strength. Further, the antioxidant activity of the silica-PDA film exceeded that of commercially available antioxidant D. Considering the notable performance boost of silica-PDA composites on NRL films, we believe that the treatment of silica with natural polyphenols offers a convenient and facile new route for the preparation of environmentally friendly multifunctional silica additives.