Synthesis of Novel Broad‐Spectrum Chitosan Polymer Carbon Dots‐Based Ultraviolet Absorbers and Their Application in Natural Rubber

ABSTRACT In this paper, a novel broad‐spectrum chitosan polymer carbon dots‐based UV absorber ((CS‐PCDs)‐g‐UV‐0) was obtained by grafting UV‐0 onto chitosan‐based polymer carbon dots (CS‐PCDs) through a simple green microwave method to achieve the macromolecular quantification of UV‐0 UV absorbers. The products were characterized by means of IR spectroscopy, NMR carbon spectroscopy, UV absorption spectroscopy, TGA, and XPS. Finally, the UV absorber was applied to natural rubber (NR), and its anti‐UV aging properties were systematically investigated by conducting UV‐accelerated aging experiments on the carbonyl index, weight loss rate, contact angle, and SEM morphology of the NR materials added with (CS‐PCDs)‐g‐UV‐0 before and after aging. The results showed that after 28 days of aging of NR added with 2% (CS‐PCDs)‐g‐UV‐0, the increase in carbonyl index was considerably less significant than that of pure NR samples, as was the change in contact angle. According to the observations made by SEM, the addition of this (CS‐PCDs)‐g‐UV‐0 caused a significant delay in the occurrence of cracking on the surface of the material. In summary, a novel UV absorber is proposed in the present study to enhance the performance of NR in UV aging resistance.