Influences of Modified Palm Stearin on Vulcanization Properties of Carbon Black-Loaded Epoxidized Natural Rubber

Abstract

The present research-study investigated the influences of modified palm stearin (MPS) on the vulcanization properties of carbon black (CB)-loaded Epoxidized Natural Rubber with 25% mole (ENR 25). The ENR 25 was loaded by CB at a fixed loading (thirty phr) and the MPS was added into the CB-loaded ENR 25 compounds with varied doses from one to seven phr. The influences of MPS additions on the optimum vulcanization and scorch times and also cure rate index (CRI) of CB-loaded ENR 25 were investigated. It was observed that the MPS caused an enhancement in the rate of the vulcanization process on the ENR 25 compounds. The MPS decreased both the times to scorch and optimum vulcanization time but increased the CRI. The bigger the MPS doses caused in the lower were the scorch and optimum vulcanization times but caused in the higher was the CRI. The enhancement in CRI was attributed to the role of MPS as the supplementary accelerator for the CB-loaded ENR 25 compounds. The amine content of MPS enhanced the CRI.