Mercapto-modified copolymers in elastomer blends. IV. The compatibilization of natural rubber/EPDM blends

✍ Scribed by Alex S. Sirqueira; Bluma G. Soares

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2002
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 379 KB
• Volume: 83
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-8995
• DOI: 10.1002/app.10283

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Ethylene—propylene—diene functionalized with mercapto groups (EPDMSH) was employed as compatibilizing agent for natural rubber (NR)/EPDM blends, resulting in a substantial increase of the ultimate tensile strength of these blends without affecting the elongation at break. There is also a decrease of the curing time with the addition of as low as 2.5 phr of EPDMSH, mainly in NR/EPDM (70:30 wt %) blend, indicating the accelerator effect of this functionalized copolymer. This copolymer also increased the crosslink degree and the gel content. From dynamic mechanical analysis (DMTA), it was demonstrated that EPDMSH improves the covulcanization process. The reactive compatibilization of EPDMSH was demonstrated by the presence of insoluble material in nonvulcanized/compatibilized blends and by its thermogravimetric (TGA) analysis. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 83: 2892–2900, 2002; DOI 10.1002/app.10283