Chitin nanocrystals reticulated self-assembled architecture reinforces deproteinized natural rubber latex film

Natural rubber (NR) latex was initially deproteinized, then, the interactions between chitin nanocrystals (ChNCs) and deproteinized natural rubber (DNR) latex particles in an aqueous system and the properties of DNR/ChNCs composites were investigated. Composite films were obtained by casting and evaporating off the prevulcanized DNR/ChNCs complexation rather than simply mixing of DNR latex and ChNCs suspension. The results of DLS and TEM confirmed that this kind of complexation was formed between negative charged DNR and positively charged ChNCs by self-assembly. The tensile strength of composite films containing 4 wt% ChNCs was 25.00 ± 1.42 MPa, which was 3.11 multiples of the pure pre-vulcanized DNR. DNR/ChNCs composite films could provide excellent mechanical properties and avoid allergies caused by proteins in NR latex.