Effect of vulcanization temperature and vulcanization systems on the structure and properties of natural rubber vulcanizates

Abstract

The effect of vulcanization temperature (150°–180°C) on the structure and technical properties of gum natural rubber vulcanizates with four different 2-(morpholinodithio)-benzothiazole: sulphur ratios (A, 0.6:2.4; B, 1.5:1.5; C, 2.4:0.6; D, 3.0:0.0) at the respective optimum cure times has been determined. The influence of cure temperature on (a) the chemical crosslink density; (b) the distribution of crosslink types; (c) the extent of sulphidic main chain modifications and (d) the zinc sulphide formation was investigated. Results show that elevated cure temperatures produce a network with lower crosslink density, in particular a lower polysulphidic crosslink density. The formation of intramolecular sulphidic groups and zinc sulphide increase with increasing cure temperatures. The possibility of chain scission during vulcanization, as examined by a quantitative analysis of the sol—gel data, was found to be negligible. The network results have been correlated with the technical properties.