Graphene oxide (GO) has been utilized in the fabrication of nanocomposites with different polymer matrix. However, GO applied in commodity rubbers such as styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) mainly for preparing vehicle tires is few reported so far. Here, SBR composites modified with GO were prepared by demulsification controlled latex compounding. We show that the GO/SBR nanocomposites at very low GO contents (≤2.0) exhibit remarkable comprehensive properties including highmodulus, good gas barrier ability, and low density. The reinforcement effect of GO (2.0 vol.%) on the tensile strength of GO/SBR composite is almost the same as that of the conventional SBR nanocomposite filled by 13.1 vol.% of the carbon black with average particle size of 30 nm, indicating that GO has an potential ability to replace the carbon black in rubber industry. These properties are original from the homogeneous dispersion of majority of GO sheets with thicknesses 1-3 nm and specific rubber-GO interaction, as a result of the ability of butadiene-styrene-vinyl-pyridine rubber (VPR) to adjust the co-coagulation of GO and SBR latex and keep the GO sheets from severe aggregation and subsequently to form strong interfacial interaction between GO and SBR. We also show that such latex compounding of GO and SBR is scalable and environment-friendly without organic solution, which could provide a new insight into the production of high-performance GO/rubber nanocomposites for future engineering applications.

Graphene oxide (GO) has been utilized in the fabrication of nanocomposites with different polymer matrix. However, GO applied in commodity rubbers such as styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) mainly for preparing vehicle tires is few reported so far. Here, SBR composites modified with GO were prepared by demulsification controlled latex compounding. We show that the GO/SBR nanocomposites at very low GO contents (≤2.0) exhibit remarkable comprehensive properties including highmodulus, good gas barrier ability, and low density. The reinforcement effect of GO (2.0 vol.%) on the tensile strength of GO/SBR composite is almost the same as that of the conventional SBR nanocomposite filled by 13.1 vol.% of the carbon black with average particle size of 30 nm, indicating that GO has an potential ability to replace the carbon black in rubber industry. These properties are original from the homogeneous dispersion of majority of GO sheets with thicknesses 1-3 nm and specific rubber-GO interaction, as a result of the ability of butadiene-styrene-vinyl-pyridine rubber (VPR) to adjust the co-coagulation of GO and SBR latex and keep the GO sheets from severe aggregation and subsequently to form strong interfacial interaction between GO and SBR. We also show that such latex compounding of GO and SBR is scalable and environment-friendly without organic solution, which could provide a new insight into the production of high-performance GO/rubber nanocomposites for future engineering applications.