Nano-engineered ZnO/CNF-based epoxidized natural rubber with enhanced strength for novel Self-healing glove fabrication

Rubber with excellent mechanical properties and self-healing ability could have great applicability in the next generation of glove fabrication. Developing durable gloves with improved safety is essential for better protection of workers against a broad range of common risks found in industrial fields. Therefore, this paper establishes a facile synthesis of zinc oxide-cellulose nanofiber (ZnO-CNF)-reinforced epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) composite for novel fabrication of a self-healing glove with high mechanical strength to promote product endurance with extended shelf-life. In this study, ZnO-CNF was first prepared via sonochemical co-precipitation and subsequently incorporated into the ENR matrix via latex mixing and casting methods to form an ENR/ZnO-CNF composite. The effect of ZnO-CNF as reinforcing filler on ENR morphology and properties were systematically studied and characterized by FESEM, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, TGA and DSC analyses. It was observed that the addition of ZnO-CNF filler resulted in a 6-fold improvement in tensile strength with enhanced thermal stability compared to neat ENR. The resultant ENR/ZnO-CNF demonstrated thermo-responsive self-healing behavior with high strength and strain recovery, of 70% and 92%, respectively. The feasibility of our proposed approach was confirmed by the successful fabrication of a novel ENR/ZnO-CNF composite glove with proven self-healing ability. Our work offers a facile yet innovative strategy to fabricate a self-healable reinforced rubber glove by integrating a multifunctional nanofiller into a complex polymer network.