Effect oftrans-polyoctenamer on thermal stability of rubbers determined by thermal analysis

An effect of a cyclic low molecular-weight polymertrans-polyoctenamer rubber (TOR) on the thermal stability of diene rubbers and their vulcanizates was investigated. The investigation was carried out in the air and nitrogen atmospheres using thermogravimetry, DSC and simultaneous thermoanalytical methods. The thermal stability indexes:T₅,T_max and activation energy of degradation (E), as well asT_g andT_m values, have been determined.It was found thattrans-polyoctenamer (TOR) increases of the thermal stability indices of raw diene rubbers and their vulcanizates. The results show that the thermal degradation of diene rubbers occurred at higher temperature if they were blended with TOR. In our opinion, intermolecular structures formed between the cyclic low-molecular weight polymer and some linear rubber molecules may be the reason for the higher thermal stability of these rubber blends.The work was supported by State Committee for Research, Poland. Grant No. 7.T08 E 032-08.