Photo-oxidation of elastomers. A fundamental approach based on the study of a series of photo-sensitive elastomeric systems: A review

The photo-oxidation and crosslinking of increasingly complex photo-sensitized elastomers were quantitatively investigated. An ethylene-propenebutadiene terpolymer (EPDM), selected as an elastomeric medium exhibiting reactive unsaturated side chains, was photo-sensitized with various chromophoric groups: grafted phenyl groups (systems I and II), different carbonyl functions (systems III and IV), blended photo-initiators dimethoxyphenylacetophenone (DMPA) (system V) and benzophenone (BP) (system VI). Knowledge of the behaviour of these model systems proves necessary to the understanding of the predominant processes involved in the photo-oxidation of ethylene-propene rubber (EPR or EPM) blended with DMPA (system VII) or BP (system VIII) and of a random styrene-butadiene (SBR) copolymer (system IX).     

Maleic-anhydride grafted EPM as compatibilising agent in NR/BR/EPDM blends

Incorporation of approximately 30 phr Ethylene-Propylene-Diene rubber (EPDM) into natural rubber (NR)/butadiene rubber (BR) is a means to achieve non-staining ozone resistance for tire sidewall applications. However, due to incompatibility of the elastomers and heterogeneous filler distribution in each of the rubber phases, the mechanical properties deteriorate. In the present work, maleic-anhydride modified EPM (MAH-EPM) is added as a compatibilising agent between NR/BR and EPDM. The addition of 5 phr of MAH-EPM results in significantly improved tensile and tear strength when compared to a straight NR/BR/EPDM blend. These improvements can mainly be attributed to a compatibilising effect of MAH-EPM, resulting in a more homogeneous phase distribution, but in particular a much better homogeneous carbon black distribution over the different rubber phases. In addition, ionic crosslinks are introduced into the blends by interaction of MAH-EPM with zinc oxide.     

New aspects of the photo-oxidation and photo-stabilization of polymers

The mechanism of the photo-oxidation of an ethylene-propylene random copolymer (EPM) has been compared with that of a styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer (SBS). The former is considered as a model for polyolefins that undergo chain scission on irradiation and the latter as a model for unsaturated rubbers that become cross-linked. A hindered amine light stabilizer (HALS) that is a better inhibitor of the absorption of oxygen in SBS than in EPM is, however, less efficient to prevent formation of carbonyl groups and change of the mechanical properties. These results are discussed and an explanation is proposed.     

The morphology of zinc dimethacrylate reinforced elastomers investigated by SEM and TEM

The morphologies of various ZDMA-reinforced elastomers, including styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM), nitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR), ethylene-propylene monomer (EPM), poly(α-octylene-co-ethylene) elastomer (POE) and hydrogenated nitrile-butadiene rubber (HNBR), were studied by using SEM and TEM. The observation on the compounds showed that during the compounding process, the dimension of ZDMA particles reduced, and could even form dispersion structures with nanometer size (<100 nm). It is shear stress of compounds during mixing rather than polarity of matrix rubber that plays the most important role to determine dispersion state of ZDMA in compounds. High shear stress facilitates dispersion of ZDMA. Only in elastomers having the lower shear stress such as POE and EPM, original dimension features of ZDMA particles make considerable effects on dispersion level of ZDMA in compounds. The observation on cured composites displayed that there are two kinds of micro-dispersed structures: micron dispersion—residual ZDMA particles and nano-dispersion—the aggregate of poly-ZDMA. The higher saturation and polarity of rubbers and the better dispersion level of ZDMA in compounds benefit in situ polymerization of ZDMA, resulting in the lower amount of residual ZDMA particles (micron dispersion). In the elastomer with higher saturation such as POE, EPM, EPDM and HNBR, the dimensions of nano-dispersions are slightly larger. For the ZDMA/POE, formula effect on morphology of the composite was also discussed. It was found that the loading of ZDMA and peroxide impact remarkably on the amount and dimension of nano-particles in the composite.     

About crosslinking of low molecular weight ethylene‐propylene(‐diene) copolymer‐based artificial latices

Crosslinking of artificial latices based on ethylene–propylene copolymers (EPM) and/or ethylene–propylene–diene copolymers (EPDM) has not thoroughly been studied yet. Moreover, crosslinking of EPM and/or EPDM particles is a prerequisite for the formation of a shell using seeded emulsion polymerization of, for example, methyl methacrylate (MMA), as described elsewhere. Therefore, the aim of this article is to improve the general understanding of the chemistry involved in the crosslinking process. This work especially emphasizes the influence of the initiation method, that is, a peroxide or a pulsed electron‐beam, on crosslinking efficiency. All crosslinking efficiencies were obtained after extraction of the soluble polymer by tetrahydrofuran. The incorporation of the coagent, that is, divinylbenzene, into the EPM/EPDM phase was studied on a microscopic level by solid‐state ¹³C and ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Crosslinking of a low molecular weight EPM/EPDM latex requires the presence of a coagent, for example, divinylbenzene, 1,6‐hexanediol diacrylate, or poly(1,2‐butadiene). The efficiency of crosslinking initiated by a pulsed electron‐beam was improved to a great extent by the presence, in the aqueous phase, of potassium nitrosodisulfonate, also referred to as Fremy salt. Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization–Time of Flight–Mass Spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF‐MS) was used to determine the influence of electron‐beam irradiation on the chemical stability of surfactants. It was demonstrated that sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) is not degraded by the irradiation, and is therefore the surfactant of choice for the stabilization of EPM/EPDM‐based latices subjected to electron‐beam irradiation. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 3600–3615, 2005     

Mechanisms of antioxidant action: Effects of rubberbound antioxidants in rubber modified polypropylene

The effect of thermal and photo-oxidation on rubber (ethylene-propylenediene terpolymer) modified polypropylene is examined and it is concluded that, although the rate of photo-oxidation increases with the amount of modifier, the rate of loss of impact resistance decreases. Antioxidants and uv stabilisers improve the oxidation resistance of the impact modified polypropylene but conventional stabilisers are removed by solvent leaching. Antioxidants bound to the EPDM through sulphur show a similar stabilising performance to commercial stabilisers before extraction but are much more effective after extraction.     

Pyrolysis kinetics of ethylene–propylene (EPM) and ethylene–propylene–diene (EPDM)

The thermal degradation kinetics of several ethylene–propylene copolymers (EPM) and ethylene–propylene–diene terpolymers (EPDM), with different chemical compositions, have been studied by means of the combined kinetic analysis. Until now, attempts to establish the kinetic model for the process have been unsuccessful and previous reports suggest that a model other than a conventional nth order might be responsible. Here, a random scission kinetic model, based on the breakage and evaporation of cleavaged fragments, is found to describe the degradation of all compositions studied. The suitability of the kinetic parameters resulting from the analysis has been asserted by successfully reconstructing the experimental curves. Additionally, it has been shown that the activation energy for the pyrolysis of the EPM copolymers decreases by increasing the propylene content. An explanation for this behavior is given. A low dependence of the EPDM chemical composition on the activation energy for the pyrolysis has been reported, although the thermal stability is influenced by the composition of the diene used.     

The role of thiophosphoryl disulfide on the co‐cure of CR‐EPDM blends

Bis(diisopropyl)thiophosphoryl disulfide (DIPDIS) has been used as a coupling cum curing agent for the compatibilization of blends of ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM) with chloroprene rubber (CR). Electrical and mechanical properties of the blend vulcanizates have been studied to find the efficiency of the vulcanizing cum coupling activity of DIPDIS. The study reveals that CR in the presence of DIPDIS greatly improves the physical properties of EPDM. It is noted that the physical properties of the vulcanizates obtained from CR‐EPDM blend depend upon CR:EPDM ratio. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) study reveals that it is possible to form a coherent blend of CR and EPDM in the presence of DIPDIS. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Durability of a starch-based biodegradable polymer

The photo-oxidation and the photo-stabilization of a commercial biodegradable polymer have been investigated in order to establish the possibility of using this polymer as raw material for films for agriculture. The degradation has been followed by measuring the mechanical properties as a function of photo-oxidation time and in particular by following the elongation at break. The virgin polymer, made from maize starch and a synthetic biodegradable polyester, shows poor resistance to the UV irradiation as observed by the fast decay of the elongation at break, but the presence of small amounts of conventional UV stabilizers strongly improves the durability of this polymer. The UV stabilizers remarkably extend the induction time without modifying the photo-oxidation kinetics.Among the investigated stabilizers, the benzophenone compound seems to work slightly better than the benzotriazoles, than the triazine and than the sterically hindered amine. This behaviour has been attributed to the larger absorbance in the UV range of the biodegradable polymer.     

Mercapto-modified copolymers in polymer blends, 1. Functionalization of EPDM with mercapto groups and its use in NBR/EPDM blends

Ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM) was reacted with thioacetic acid in the presence of 2,2′-azoisobutyronitrile (AIBN), giving rise to thioacetate-modified EPDM (EPDMTA). The extent of the incorporation was studied as a function of both thioacetic acid and AIBN concentration and reaction time. The products were analyzed by FTIR spectroscopy, sulfur content, and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The hydrolysis of EPDMTA in a NaOH methanolic solution resulted in mercapto-modified EPDM (EPDMSH). The addition of 5 wt.-% of this functionalized copolymer to a sulfur-vulcanized nitrile rubber (NBR)/EPDM (70 : 30 wt.-%) blend accelerated the vulcanization process as indicated by oscillating disk rheometer analysis. In addition, an improvement of mechanical and ageing properties was also observed.     

SEM study of worn surface morphology of an indigenous ‘EPDM’ rubber

Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) rubber emerges as a dominant elastomer for major engineering applications like automobiles, constructions, electric and electronic industries and many more. The major engineering properties of EPDM are its outstanding heat, ozone and weather resistance ability. The resistance to polar substances and steam is also good. EPDM rubber has a common use as seals in automobiles.In the present work friction and sliding wear behaviors of ethylene propylene diene monomer rubbers (EPDM) of different hardness have been studied against steel counterpart under dry working condition. Different hardness of EPDM have been achieved by adding different proportion (parts per hundred) of carbon black (CB) content with the main ingredients of EPDM. Tribo-testing has been carried out in a multi tribo-tester (Ducom, India). EPDM rubber of different hardness like 55 Å, 70 Å and 85 Å has been slid against EN-8 stainless steel roller of the tester. Experiments have been conducted with different rotational speeds of the wheel at a constant load of 25N for a constant duration of 900 s. The coefficient of friction (COF), mass loss and wear of EPDM rubbers have been determined from the test data. The worn surface morphology has also been studied using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and concluded accordingly.Present experimental work attempts to highlight some important tribo-characteristics of an indigenous EPDM rubber as well as to shed light on various possible areas of further research works.     

Thermal properties of EPDM/NR blends

The thermal behaviour of EPDM/NR blends was studied by differential scanning calorimetry over the temperature range 335–435 K. O'Neill's method (O'Neill MG. Anal Chem 1964;36:1238) was used for calculating the specific heat capacity with aluminia as standard. The presence of natural rubber induces a marked thermal instability because of the high content of double bonds. The contribution of each component to the C_p of the tested polymer systems is discussed. The law of reciprocal affinity, the linear contribution of components to the specific heat capacity is followed by EPDM/NR blends. The influence of natural rubber on the thermal behaviour of tested mixtures was assessed by oxygen uptake method and the first derivative procedure reveals the sequence in thermal stability of ethylene-propylene-diene/natural rubber compounds.     

Crosslink network evolution of BIIR/EPDM blends during peroxide vulcanization

Crosslink network evolution of brominated butyl rubber (BIIR)/ethylene–propylene–diene-monomer rubber (EPDM) blends during peroxide vulcanization is studied at a meso-scale level. In this work, EPDM is added as a co-agent to increase the crosslink density of BIIR vulcanization. With increasing EPDM content from 0 to 20 phr, the maximum torque of BIIR/EPDM compounds during vulcanization increases by 73%, reaching to 3.40 dNm. Vulcanization kinetic study shows that addition of EPDM favors to the crosslinking of BIIR compound. Meanwhile, the addition of 20 phr EPDM contributes to an increase in the crosslink density of BIIR/EPDM(80/20) vulcanizate, avoiding downward trend at post-cure period in comparison with BIIR only. Crosslink network evolution of BIIR/EPDM blends is divided into three periods during peroxide vulcanization at 150 °C. The role of EPDM in the crosslink network evolution is studied by proton nuclear magnetic resonance, and a “network patching” mechanism is proposed in which EPDM is implied to work as patch on damaged crosslink network resulted from the degradation nature of BIIR.     

Differential model accounting for reversion for EPDM vulcanized with peroxides

One of the main drawbacks of EPM/EPDM rubber vulcanization by peroxides is the lack of selectivity, which leads to a number of side reactions. The reaction mechanisms at the base of peroxides crosslinking are generally known and include the formation of alkyl and allyl (in the EPDM case) macro-radicals through H-abstraction from the macromolecular chains and the combination of these macro-radicals, which macroscopically is known with the term “vulcanization”. In the paper, a simple but effective mathematical model having kinetic base, to predict the vulcanization degree of rubber vulcanized with peroxides, is presented. The approach takes contemporarily into consideration, albeit within a simplified scheme, the actual reactions occurring during peroxidic curing, namely initiation, H-abstraction, combination and addition, and supersedes the simplified approach used in practice, which assumes for peroxidic curing a single first order reaction. After a suitable re-arrangement of the first order system of differential equations obtained from the actual kinetic system adopted, a single second order non-linear differential equation is obtained and numerically solved by means of a Runge–Kutta approach. Kinetic parameters to set are evaluated by means of a standard least squares procedure where target data are represented by experimental values available, i.e. normalized rheometer curves or percentage crosslink density experimentally evaluated by means of more sophisticated procedures. In order to have an insight into the reliability of the numerical approach proposed, two cases of technical interest are investigated in detail: the first is an EPDM crosslinked with two different peroxides, whereas the second is a compound with high level of unsaturation, showing reversion at medium-high vulcanization temperature ( $175^\circ \text{ C}$ ).     

The cure of elastomers by dicumyl peroxide as observed in differential scanning calorimetry

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) has been used to determine the enthalpy changes accompanying the thermal homolysis and subsequent radical reactions occuring in the dicumyl peroxide (DCP) cure of elastomers (NR, EPDM, SBR, BR, NBR, and EPM). The thermal degradation of DCP alone, dispersed on kaolin clay in a hydrocarbon solvent, was also studied.The degradation of DCP alone results in an exothermic enthalpy change of ～ 215 kJ mole^?1. In elastomer systems, the observed enthalpy exchange can be ordered BR >; SBR ; NBR (34% ACN) > NBR (27% ACN) > NR > EPDM ～ EPM.Low enthalpy values are associated with systems containing predominantly secondary hydrogen atoms (EPDM, EPM). The high enthalpy of cure for BR appears associated with the known ability of the polybutadienyl radicals to propagate a limited chain reaction. The relative extent of cumyloxy radical disproportionation to hydrogen abstraction was determined in each system and this has no apparent effect on the observed enthalpy change.The method of Borchardt and Daniels was used for data reduction and calculation of apparent activation energies. For DCP degradation alone the calculated activation energy is in good agreement with literature values. In elastomer systems, the calculated activation energies must be treated with caution because, as pointed out by Borchardt and Daniels, their method does not apply to solid state reactions.     

Degradation profiles in aged EPDM water seals using focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy

The degradation of an ethylene–propylene-diene (EPDM) rubber seal used in a water supply system was investigated using focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM). The EPDM rubber seal was used for 3 years within the temperature range 20–40 °C in a city water system. The accretions present on the surface of the EPDM seal after use were observed by SEM and were found to consist of iron and oxygen atoms based on energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. A cross-sectional depth image of the EPDM rubber was obtained by FIB-SEM, after slicing the EPDM rubber with a focused Gallium ion beam. Iron and oxygen atoms in the cross-section of the EPDM rubber were detected through EDS. The distribution of iron was comparable to that of oxygen derived from the carbonyl groups generated by the degradation of EPDM, suggesting that iron ions may promote the degradation of natural rubber through catalytic effects.     

Matching Cure Characteristics of Automotive Rubber Compound and Polyurethane Coating

The present investigation focuses on matching cure characteristics of EPDM rubber compound and polyurethane (PU) coating using temperature modulated and pressure differential scanning calorimetry (TMDSC, PDSC). TMDSC provides a detailed and better understanding of the curing process of model rubber system as well as complex automotive rubber compounds. The low level of unsaturation present in EPDM, results in the small heat of vulcanization (2–5 J g^–1), which is difficult to accurately measure using conventional differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Thus, curing of highly filled EPDM compound was investigated using TMDSC. The kinetics of PU curing was monitored using pressure DSC (PDSC), and heat of curing was determined as 4.2 J g^–1 at 10°C min^–1 heating rate. It is found that complex automotive compounds and the PU coating are curing simultaneously. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The effect of mercapto- and thioacetate-modified EPDM on the curing parameters and mechanical properties of natural rubber/EPDM blends

The vulcanization characteristics of natural rubber (NR)/ethylene-propylene-ethylidenenorbornene (EPDM) rubber blends were studied in the presence of thioacetate-(EPDMTA) or mercapto-modified EPDM (EPDMSH), using oscillating disk rheometer. The effect of both functionalized EPDMs was investigated in unaccelerated-sulfur curing system and accelerated-sulfur curing systems containing 0.4 and 0.8 phr of MBTS. Both EPDMTA and EPDMSH act as accelerator agent in the curing process, as indicated by the higher values of cure rate index and lower values of activation energy of vulcanization. A substantial increase of the crosslink density has been also observed in EPDMSH-modified blends. Both EPDMTA and EPDMSH resulted in an increase in tensile strength, but the best performance has been achieved with EPDMSH, probably because of the increase of crosslink density associated to the reactive compatibilization promoted by the reaction between mercapto groups and rubber matrix. The best ageing resistance has been observed in EPDMTA-modified blends.     

Electron spin resonance study on chemical crosslinking reaction mechanisms of polyethylene using a chemical agent. V. Comparison with polypropylene and ethylene‐propylene copolymer

We studied the chemical reaction process of polypropylene (PP), ethylene‐propylene copolymer (EPM), and ethylene‐propylene‐diene copolymer (EPDM) crosslinking induced by dicumyl peroxide (DCP) using electron spin resonance (ESR). Free radicals appeared at an elevated temperature of around 120 °C and the behavior and kinetics of the reaction process were observed at 180 °C. The radical species detected in PP were alkyl type radicals, formed by the abstraction of hydrogen atoms from the tertiary carbon of polymer chains. For EPDM containing a diene component, the radicals were trapped at double bonds in this diene component to form allyl radicals. The resolutions of these spectra were extremely clear; hence, isotropic spectra of these polymer radicals were obtained. We measured the ESR at high temperatures and confirmed that the process of crosslinking induced by DCP was a free radical reaction. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 3383–3389, 2000     

Synthesis,Characterization, and Performance Evaluation of Polymeric HALS in Ethylene‐Propylene‐Diene Terpolymer (EPDM)

A polymeric hindered amine light stabilizer (HALS), wherein the hindered amine functionality was attached to the maleic anhydride graft ethylene‐propylene‐diene terpolymer (EPDM) was synthesized. This involves photoinduced grafting of maleic anhydride groups on unsaturated sites of EPDM, followed by incorporation of amino terminated HALS. The grafting and functionalization reactions were characterized by FTIR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The surface changes upon degradation are studied by SEM. The photostabilizing efficiency of this polymeric HALS was studied and compared with conventional HALS under accelerated weathering conditions. The HALS grafted EPDM showed significantly improved photostabilizing efficiency.