Synergistic effects of soap nut extract and glutaraldehyde on the properties of natural rubber: A waste to wealth approach.

• Soap nut fruit extract has been successfully blended with natural rubber as a natural additive. • Addition of 5 % SNE in to NR increased thermal stability 38.94 %, tensile strength 265 % and elongation 32 %. • Crosslinking the blend using glutaraldehyde enhanced the tensile properties. • Increased glass transition and crystalline melting temperatures exhibited the miscibility. • Blend with 5 % soap nut extract exhibited superior properties. This study aimed at the extraction of soap nut fruit to blend with natural rubber as a natural additive. The effectiveness of blending at various blend ratios has been studied in detail. The effects of soap nut extract on the tensile properties, thermal stability, glass transition and crystalline melting temperatures, solvent transport properties, morphology and antibacterial properties were investigated. FTIR was employed to confirm the presence of functional groups and the interaction between both the blend constituents. Enhancement in the tensile and thermal properties of natural rubber was noticed upon the incorporation of soap nut extract. The increased glass transition and crystalline melting temperatures suggests the miscibility of both blend components. Solvent transport study in benzene showed an increasing trend upon the addition of soap nut extract into natural rubber. SEM microphotographs showed a fine and continuous surface morphology in case of the blend when compared to pure natural rubber. Antibacterial studies revealed that the incorporation of soap nut extract makes natural rubber more stable. The blend with 5 % soap nut extract exhibited superior properties than that of the other blend components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]