Abstract
Ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) is one of the most widely used synthetic rubbers, especially in the automotive industry. Despite its many benefits, the chief weakness of EPDM has been the color change occurring in its products due to ultraviolet (UV) rays. It is recognized that UV energy causes the dissociation of bonds (mostly C-C and C-H) in EPDM materials as well as cracks and color changes on the surface. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the Tinuvin derivatives widely used as UV stabilizers in the plastics industry on EPDM rubber. The EPDM rubber plates were prepared by adding Tinuvin-P, Tinuvin-213 and Tinuvin-234 as UV absorbers (UVAs) and Tinuvin-123 as hindered amine light stabilizer (HALS) material at a ratio of 1.0 phr (parts per hundred parts of rubber) to an available EPDM formula. The effects of the Tinuvin derivatives were investigated by the internationally recognized Florida outdoor aging test. The surfaces of the EPDM plates were visually scrutinized and surface morphological changes were examined via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry analyses. The results obtained showed that, unlike in the plastic industry, not all Tinuvin derivatives could be used as UV stabilizers for EPDM products. Of all the tested Tinuvin derivatives, the Tinuvin-123 compound was the most effective, indicating it to be suitable for use as a protective UV stabilizer for EPDM rubber applications.
Highlights
Ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) is a type of rubber formed by ethylene propylene and diene molecules [1]
Another notable point is that the Tinuvin material added to Plate 4 had migrated to the surface, which demonstrated that Tinuvin-234 was not a suitable Tinuvin derivative for EPDM rubber
The suitability of Tinuvin derivatives on the UV resistance of EPDM rubber was investigated in order to contribute to an internationally important issue such as the UV resistance of sealing profiles
Summary
Ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) is a type of rubber formed by ethylene propylene and diene molecules [1]. EPDM rubbers are known with their good properties such as high resistance to heat, light and oxidation and high mechanical properties. They can form mixtures without high prices because they can be reinforced and keep the oil [2]. Due to these good properties and its saturated hydrocarbon backbone with the presence of double bonds in the side chains they are one of the most widely used synthetic rubbers [3,4,5]. Because of its outdoor applications, a study of the photostability of EPDM elastomer is extremely important from the industrial as well as academic point of view [9,10,11,12]
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