Sulfur Bond in Vulcanizates Implications of Halogen Reactions

Abstract

Abstract 1. When iodine chloride is used for the determination of double bonds in sulfur-vulcanized rubber or GR-S, it undergoes side reactions induced by combined sulfur. 2. Bromine in carbon tetrachloride is believed to give a satisfactory measure of the double bonds in a rubber-sulfur vulcanizate dissolved in dichlorobenzene-chloroform mixture. 3. The relation of one double bond consumed per sulfur atom combined in the rubber-sulfur type vulcanizate was confirmed. 4. Organic accelerators (in the absence of metal activators) catalyze the combination of sulfur without altering the ratio of one double bond loss per sulfur atom combined. 5. The introduction of a metal oxide or soap, such as zinc, causes a different type of vulcanization, which results in less than one double bond consumed per sulfur atom combined. 6. The reactions of propyl sulfide, dodecyl sulfide, propyl disulfide, allyl sulfide, methallyl sulfide, and butylmethallyl sulfide with iodine chloride and with bromine, respectively, are described. 7. The behavior of rubber-sulfur vulcanizates resembles that of butylmethallyl sulfide in reactions with iodine chloride and bromine, respectively; this suggests an alkyl-allyl type sulfur bond. 8. The theory of vulcanization proposed by Armstrong, Little, and Doak, based on the α-methylenic concept of Farmer, is supported by the findings of this investigation.