Facile fabrication of mesostructured natural rubber/silica nanocomposites with enhanced thermal stability and hydrophobicity

Table 1 Physicochemical properties of the HMS and NRHMS nanocomposites

Sample	Si content^a (wt.%)	NR content^a (wt.%)	S_BET^b (m² g^-1)	S_ext^c (m² g^-1)	V_T^d (cm³ g^-1)	V_P^e (cm³ g^-1)	D_p^f (nm)	d₁₀₀ (nm)	a_o (nm)	W_T^g (nm)	V_m,H2O^h (cm³(STP) g^-1)
HMS	89.8	-	1004	533	2.29	0.47	2.79	4.08	4.71	1.82	70.37
NRHMS	80.4	11.7	648	384	1.37	0.19	2.55	4.20	4.85	2.30	60.15
NRHMS(2.5)	78.2	13.4	577	401	1.50	0.13	2.56	4.66	5.38	2.82	43.32
NRHMS(5)	78.6	13.0	439	315	1.23	0.08	2.55	4.68	5.40	2.85	38.51
NRHMS(10)	78.8	12.9	622	465	1.51	0.10	2.31	4.00	4.61	2.30	43.66

^aSilica and NR content, determined by TGA
^bBET surface area
^cExternal surface area, determined from the slope of t-plot curves
^dTotal pore volume
^eMesopore volume, determined from the interception of t-plot curves
^fPore diameter determined, from BJH method
^gWall thickness determined, from the subtraction between pore diameter and unit cell parameter
^hMonoloyer-adsorbed water, determined from H₂O adsorption–desorption measurement