A Phase Blending Study on Rubber Blends Based on the Solubility Preference of Curatives

• Published in: Macromolecular materials and engineering Vol. 294; no. 10; pp. 635 - 642
• Main Authors: Guo, Rui, Talma, Auke G., Datta, Rabin N., Dierkes, Wilma K., Noordermeer, Jacques W. M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 12.10.2009; WILEY‐VCH Verlag; Wiley
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Blending; Blends; Chemical reactions and properties; Crosslinking, vulcanization; curing of polymers; diffusion; Dispersions; Exact sciences and technology; Mechanical properties; mixing; Optimization; Organic polymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polymer blends; Rubber; Solubility; Mixing; SBR; curing of polymers; diffusion; Polymer blends; Mechanical properties; Nitrile rubber; Benzothiazole derivatives; Experimental study; Property processing relationship; Heterogeneous mixture; solbility; Vulcanization; EPDM rubber; Vulcanizate; Formulation; rubber; Zinc oxide; Chemical reactivity; Sulfur
• ISSN: 1438-7492; 1439-2054
• DOI: 10.1002/mame.200900098

Using previously obtained data on the solubilities of curatives in SBR, EPDM and in NBR, different mixing procedures were performed on 50/50 SBR/EPDM and NBR/EPDM blends. In contrast to a previous phase‐mixing study, the curatives were added to separate phases before final blending, in an attempt to control the curative distributions in the blends for optimal mechanical properties. Fillers were not applied in the system to exclude their influence on the dispersion of the curatives. The properties of such blends compounded by selective phase mixing are superior to those of blends compounded with normal mixing procedures. A mixing study was carried out by applying knowledge on the solubility of curatives in rubbers to improve the properties of blends of SBR/EPDM (SE) and NBR/EPDM (NE). Different mixing procedures were performed based on a same overall recipe for each rubber blend. The curatives were incorporated to opposite phases before final blending with an attempt to control their distributions for optimal mechanical properties. Large improvements were achieved in the SE blends, not for NE.