Insight into vulcanization mechanism of novel binary accelerators for natural rubber

A novel TU derivative, N-phenyl-N′-(γ-triethoxysilane)-propyl thiourea (STU), is prepared and its binary accelerator system is investigated in detail. Compared to the control references, the optimum curing time of NR compounds with STU is the shortest, indicating a more nucleophilic reaction occurs. The Py-GC/MS results present that the phenyl isothiocyanate fragment still remains in the NR/STU compounds with or without extracting treatment, but no silane segment can be found in the vulcanizate with extracting treatment. Vibrations of C=S, NH and aromatic ring in FTIR experiments and a new methyne carbon peak, as well as the peaks of phenyl group of STU, in the solid state ¹³C-NMR experiments are found in the NR/STU vulcanizate with extracting treatment. Moreover, the crosslinking density of vulcanizates with STU evolves to lower level, indicating the sulfur atom of STU does not contribute to the sulfur crosslinking. Therefore, a new vulcanization kinetic mechanism of STU is propounded that the thiourea groups can graft to the rubber main chains as pendant groups by chemical bonds during the vulcanization process, which is in accordance with the experimental observations quite well.