Why natural rubber becomes soft at high temperature and brittle at low temperatures and shows higher water absorption capacity?

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Answer

Natural rubber is the example of thermo plastic polymers.. this are soften on heating and can be moulded to desired shapes.. and these are brittle at low temperature.. and shows higher water absorption capacity..

Answer

Rubber is a naturaly occurring polymer .It is not strong and elastic but after vulcanization process it becomes brittle and show higher water absorption capacity

Answer

Natural rubber is a polymer that has unique physical and chemical properties. In this response, we will discuss why natural rubber becomes soft at high temperatures and brittle at low temperatures and shows higher water absorption capacity.

High Temperature Effect

At high temperatures, natural rubber becomes soft due to the following reasons:

1. Viscosity decreases: As the temperature increases, the viscosity of natural rubber decreases, and this reduces internal friction, making the material softer.

2. Polymer chains become more mobile: At high temperatures, the polymer chains become more mobile, and this leads to a decrease in the strength of the intermolecular forces that hold the chains together. This results in rubber becoming soft and pliable.

Low Temperature Effect

At low temperatures, natural rubber becomes brittle due to the following reasons:

1. Viscosity increases: As the temperature decreases, the viscosity of natural rubber increases. This leads to an increase in internal friction, making the material stiffer.

2. Polymer chains become less mobile: At low temperatures, the polymer chains become less mobile, and this leads to an increase in the strength of the intermolecular forces that hold the chains together. This results in rubber becoming stiff and brittle.

Water Absorption Capacity

Natural rubber shows high water absorption capacity due to the hydrophilic nature of its polymer chains. The following reasons explain this:

1. Polarity: Natural rubber has a high polarity due to the presence of polar functional groups such as hydroxyl and carbonyl groups. These polar groups facilitate the interaction of natural rubber with water molecules.

2. Porosity: Natural rubber has a high degree of porosity, and this allows water molecules to penetrate and interact with the polymer chains.

3. Swelling: Water molecules can cause natural rubber to swell, leading to an increase in its water absorption capacity.

In conclusion, the unique properties of natural rubber make it an ideal material for a wide range of applications. Its softness at high temperatures, brittleness at low temperatures, and high water absorption capacity are all due to the physical and chemical properties of its polymer chains.

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