Facile preparation of hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite with one-pot reduction approach via the latex way

The carbon–carbon double bonds (C=C) and graphene oxide (GO) in nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) latex were reduced simultaneously by a novel one-pot to prepare the hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber/reduced graphene oxide (HNBR/RGO) nanocomposite in this study, using a hydrazine hydrate/hydrogen peroxide/copper sulfate catalyst. It is a water-based environmentally friendly and time-saving method where no organic solvent has served in the reduction process and hydrazine hydrate is completely consumed and will not harm the environment after the reduction process. HNBR/RGO can improve the electrical and thermal conductivity of HNBR, and the thermal conductivity of HNBR/RGO present better stability at high temperature (160 °C). RGO sheets are beneficial to shorten the curing time and increase cured rate index. And introducing RGO sheets may improve the thermal-oxidative aging resistance. The relationship between aging lifetime and temperature in HNBR/RGO can be estimated, and provide an opportunity for the practical application of HNBR. Graphic Abstract