Mechanical reinforcement of thermoplastic vulcanizates using ground tyre rubber modified with sulfuric acid

• Published in: Polymer composites Vol. 39; no. 1; pp. 229 - 237
• Main Authors: Hernández Gámez, José F., Hernández, Ernesto Hernández, Narro Céspedes, Rosa I., Neira Velázquez, María G., Solís Rosales, Silvia G., Soriano Corral, Florentino, González Morones, Pablo, Fernández Tavizón, Salvador, Díaz de Leon, Ramón, Farías Cepeda, Lorena
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Newtown Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.01.2018
• Subjects: Dicumyl peroxide; High density polyethylenes; Infrared analysis; Mechanical properties; Mixtures; Modulus of elasticity; Polymers; Propylene; Rubber; Sulfuric acid; Tires
• ISSN: 0272-8397; 1548-0569
• DOI: 10.1002/pc.23922

Thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs) based on high density polyethylene (HDPE), ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM) were reinforced with ground tyre rubber (GTR) modified with sulfuric acid and dynamically vulcanized with dicumyl peroxide (DCP). TPVs were composed by 40% of HDPE, 30% of EPDM and 30% of GTR at 50 and 100 mesh and the concentration of DCP was varied from 0.3 to 3.6 parts per hundred rubber (phr). The properties of the TPVs containing GTR were determined by infrared spectroscopy, gel content and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses. The mechanical properties of the composites were also obtained. An increase of about 207% in the Young's modulus was obtained in blends containing GTR modified with sulfuric acid (GTR‐SA) in relation with blends containing pristine GRT. Good compatibility of compounds containing GTR‐SA was observed, GTR‐SA presented high specific area as a consequence of the modification with sulfuric acid. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:229–237, 2018. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers