Vulcanization of Elastomers. 30. Kinetics of the Decrease of Sulfur Concentration during Vulcanization

Abstract

Abstract The present discussion deals with the explanation and critical analysis of the kinetics of the decrease in concentration of sulfur in accelerated and unaccelerated vulcanizations of natural and synthetic rubber. A marked distinction is made between the time law and the dependence on concentration of the rate of decrease of sulfur, since there is lack of agreement between them, both in accelerated and unaccelerated vulcanizations, which indicates the complex nature of vulcanization. In unaccelerated vulcanization, the sulfur concentration drops, at all temperatures and independent of the concentration, according to a time law with exponent n=0.6. On the other hand, the dependence on concentration of the initial rate of sulfur decrease proceeds according to a first order reaction. These relations make it seem probable that sulfur decrease involves a process which is catalyzed by reaction products. In accelerated vulcanization, the reduction of concentration of sulfur also is expressed by a time law with the exponent n<1, and this too is independent of temperature and concentration of reactants (sulfur and accelerator). However, the concentration dependence of the rate of sulfur decrease cannot be expressed by a power law, so that we find no order of reaction in the usual sense. We attempt to explain the characteristic trend of the initial rate of sulfur decrease with sulfur concentration at constant accelerator content, or with accelerator concentration at constant sulfur content, by assuming that the vulcanization takes place through intermediate compounds. The pertinent theoretical conceptions are disclosed and critically examined and the attempt is made to show the extent to which they may be brought into accord with the experimental data.