Investigation of Sulfur Crosslinking Interfacial of Natural Rubber (NR) Blending with Carboxyalted Styrene Butadiene Rubber (XSBR) Using X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy

Abstract

The sulfur crosslinking films from Natural Rubber (NR), Carboxylated Stryrene Butadiene Rubber (XSBR) latices, and their blends have been investigated using X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy (XANES). The film was prepared by casting the latex compound on glass surface and heating at 120oC in a hot air oven for 10 minutes. The sulfur crosslinking density were studied by the XANES. This was done to provide the local geometry and electronic environment of sulfur bonding in the rubber networks. We found that the reversion takes place before the onset of oxidative processes at the sulfur bridges. Parallel to the oxidative processes, the production of cyclic sulfanes takes places. This relationship depends on the rubber compositions.