Natural rubber is an important industrial elastic raw material, and its excellent comprehensive properties make it irreplaceable. The research and development of new natural rubber composites is an effective way to extend its application field and expand its application range. Recently, the reporter of Science and Technology Daily learned from the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (hereinafter referred to as the Academy of Thermal Sciences) that the natural rubber processing laboratory of the academy has made important progress in the field of new natural rubber composites.

Research and development of highly conductive composite fibers

MXene is the best material for the preparation of energy storage fibers due to its high pseudocapacitance properties. However, the fiber prepared by pure MXene has poor toughness and is difficult to meet the requirements of special materials, which limits its large-scale production and application. By introducing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into MXene fiber and using interface regulation and wet spinning technology, the research team of natural rubber Processing Laboratory of the Institute of Thermal Science and Technology has broken through the preparation technology of high-toughness MXene fiber and developed MXene/CNT composite fiber with high toughness, high strength and high conductivity.

The research results were published in the international academic journal Carbon under the title "Highly Ductile and Highly Conductive MXene Fiber Capacitors Reinforced by Carbon Nanotubes".

On this basis, the research team made breakthroughs in the preparation technology of ultra-fine natural rubber fiber and highly conductive MXene/ natural rubber composite fiber by optimizing the formula and adjusting the process. The fiber is less than 200 MICrons in diameter, thinner than three human hair strands, and has a elongation of 1,200 percent at break.

Dr. Tao Jinlong, leader of the research team, said that the breakthrough of the continuous ultra-fine multifunctional elastic fiber technology based on natural rubber provides a good foundation for the development of "green" highly elastic, braided and wearable fiber-like elastic electronic components.

To create ink that can draw circuits

MXene is one of the ideal materials for the fabrication of conductive circuits and electronic flexible devices. However, water-soluble MXene solution can not be stored for a long time because it is easy to be oxidized at room temperature.

In view of the above problems, the research team of natural Rubber Processing Laboratory of the Institute of Thermal Science and Technology has broken through the preparation technology of MXene ink that can be stably preserved at room temperature through solvent combination strategy, developed MXene ink with good fluidity and writing ability, and successfully used ballpoint pen to draw circuit on flexible substrate. This circuit has fast and accurate touch property and can measure response with water level, which has potential applications in flexible electronics.

The research was published in Nanoscale, an academic journal of nanotechnology and technology research, under the title "Environmentally Stable MXene Ink for Writing Flexible Electronics Directly". It is reported that the research team is accelerating the transformation of the results, to carry out the key technology research and development of "printable flexible composite conductive ink based on natural rubber /MXene".

Dr. Kong Na, author of the paper, said that compared with organic solvent inks, the composite conductive ink can give full play to the advantages of natural latex aqueous solution green and environmental protection, and realize the application of natural rubber in the field of flexible functional materials.

Porous foam with high conductivity was prepared

Building energy storage devices with high power density and fast charging and discharging speed is the key to the development of portable electronic devices. As a new two-dimensional highly conductive material, MXene has its unique advantages in energy storage device design with its high capacitance and good mechanical strength. However, the intermolecular activity is reduced, preventing the transfer of electrons.

In order to solve the above problems, the research team of the natural rubber Processing Laboratory of the Academy of Thermal Sciences successfully prepared MXene foam with highly interconnected pores by sacrificing template method. The rich pore structure effectively expanded the specific surface area, provided enough effective sites for the electron movement between layers, and accelerated the electron transfer rate.

According to Dr. Zhang Jizheng, compared with the current commercial capacitors, the capacitors prepared by MXene foam show much higher electrochemical performance than traditional capacitors, especially in power and energy density.

The research results were published in Small, an international academic journal in the field of nanomaterials, under the title "Effects of analytical pore size on electrochemical capacitance properties of MXene Foam". In addition, the team constructed a flexible strain sensor with good sensitivity and sensing range using natural rubber foam and MXene.

The PERSON IN CHARGE OF THE Chinese ACADEMY OF THERMAL SCIENCES SAID THAT THE NATURAL RUBBER PROCESSING RESEARCH OFFICE OF THE Chinese ACADEMY OF THERMAL SCIENCES HAS MADE A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH IN THE FIELD OF HIGH PERFORMANCE SPECIAL NATURAL RUBBER RAW RUBBER processing, AND THE RESEARCH OFFICE has also newly set UP a NEW direction OF NATURAL RUBBER composite materials, in order to further explore the properties of NATURAL rubber and expand its application fields.