Molecular Structure and Macroscopic Properties of Synthetic Cis-Poly(Isoprene)

Abstract

Abstract By changing the sol-gel ratio and the structure of the gel fraction it is possible to obtain various grades of synthetic cis-poly(isoprene) which show promise for different applications in the tire and mechanical rubber goods industries. The processability of commercial SKI-3 rubber (at a given average molecular weight of sol) depends mainly on the structure of the gel fraction. Thus, for example, inferior processing properties of rubber compounds is associated primarily with the presence of tight gel. The content and structure of the gel fraction also significantly affect plasto-elastic properties of raw rubbers, e.g. a low plasticity of raw rubbers owes to the increased content of gel fraction. The reduced green strength of compounds based on SKI—3 rubber is accounted for by its chemical structure. Conventional methods used to change the properties of rubbers (including the variation in molecular weight, molecular weight distribution, branching degree, and variation in the content and structure of gel fraction) cannot be considered to be adequate to tackle the problem of the green strength of SKI—3 black stocks. The way to solve the problem appears to be the introduction of functional groups into the polymer chain at the stage of synthesis or processing. These functional groups should be active as to the formation of labile rubber—carbon black—rubber and/or rubber—rubber bonds. High purity of microstructure is necessary but not sufficient for obtaining the required level of green strength of compounded SKI—3. The gel fractions of SKI—3 rubber yield vulcanizates with a more dense network than the corresponding sol vulcanizates. The temperature dependence of the tensile strength is controlled by the network density of vulcanizates from high cis-1,4 poly(isoprene).