Abstract
The value-added applications of ground tire rubber (GTR) have attracted more attention in the field of environmental conservation. In this paper, a sustainable strategy was exploited for the fabrication of reprocessable elastomer (GTRE) based on 100% GTR. A synthetically difunctional nitroxides compound, namely DTEMPO, with desulfurization and crosslinking effects on GTR was employed. GTR was mechano-chemically modified via DTEMPO at room temperature. The dynamic crosslinked network was subsequently introduced into GTRE by alkoxyamine reaction between GTR and DTEMPO. The mechanical strength of GTRE could be tailored to range from 7.6 MPa to 12.2 MPa by varying content of DTEMPO. Electron spin resonance analysis indicated that the dynamic reversibility of obtained alkoxyamine bonds were controlled by temperature. With the dissociation and reformation of alkoxyamine crosslinking structure, GTRE was capable of reprocessing multiple times and recovering most of the original mechanical strength (greater than 83%). This strategy is expected to offer a sustainable and environmentally friendly method for the recycling of GTR.
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