Thermal behavior of partially hydrogenated polydienes by <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-toluenesulfonylhydrazide

The hydrogenation of natural rubber (NR), polybutadiene (BR), and styrene-butadiene (SBR) rubbers with different microstructures was performed by a diimide hydrogenation agent generated in situ by a non-catalytic method 1–3]. Many properties of the material depend considerably on variables such as degree of hydrogenation and proportions of vinyl or phenyl units. The mobility of the hydrogenated chain was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and the results confirm the relationship between the degree of hydrogenation and chain flexibility. The flexibility of a high cis-1,4 BR hydrogenated sample, was significantly changed and a melting point (T _m) was detected after a certain degree of hydrogenation. Thermal stability was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and an increase was found, but, the thermal resistance was influenced by the presence of the byproduct p-toluenesulfinic acid. Oxidation stability was investigated by chemiluminescence analysis and it improved with hydrogenation.