Abstract

Effect of coir pith on biodegradability of styrene butadiene rubber by tensile and hardnessmeasurements

Author(s): V.K.Abitha, P.S.Suchithra, Suranjana Datta Chaudhuri, K.Rajkumar,Ajay Vasudeo Rane

The biodegradability of various rubbers and rubber products plays an important role fromthe view of improving rubber goods to degrade biologically and providing environmentally compatible solutions for the disposal and recycling of rubberwaste. The termbiodegradable polymers normally refer to an attack bymicroorganisms on non water soluble polymer-based materials. Environmental factors not only influence the polymer to be degraded, they also have a crucial influence on themicrobial population and on the activity of the different microorganisms themselves. Parameters such as humidity, temperature, pH, salinity, the presence or absence of oxygen and the supply of different nutrients have important effects on the microbial degradation of polymers, and so these conditions must be consideredwhen the biodegradability of polymer is tested. Lots of rubber materials are put into the soil which do not degrade and hence create lots of problems in water clogging etc. hence todayÂ’s research focus on making biologically degradable polymer (rubber)which can be environmental friendly. In this research, use of coconut coir pith in rubber formulation and its role in biodegradation of rubber products in comparisonwith conventional carbon black fillers.