A novel system for measurement of types and densities of sulfur crosslinks of a filled rubber vulcanizate. (April 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Choi, Sung-Seen; Kim, Eunha
• Is Part Of: Polymer testing. Volume 42(2015:Apr.)
• Page Start: 62
• Page End: 68
• Publication Date: 2015-04
• Subjects: Sulfur crosslink type -- Chemical probe -- Hexylamine -- Rubber vulcanizate -- Cubic apparent crosslink density; Polymers -- Testing -- Periodicals; Polymères -- Tests -- Périodiques; 620.1920287
• DOI: 10.1016/j.polymertesting.2014.12.007
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0142-9418

Abstract

Abstract: A novel system for measuring the crosslink densities of mono-, di- and polysulfides of a filled rubber vulcanizate was developed. The system included pre-swelling, cleavage of sulfur crosslinks by a chemical probe using thiol/ n -hexylamine instead of thiol/piperidine, and two step swelling. A sample cage made of stainless steel mesh was used to measure multiple samples at the same time and to reduce experimental errors. The organic materials-extracted sample was pre-swollen in toluene to introduce the probe chemicals more rapidly and homogeneously into the whole network. Polysulfidic crosslinkages were cleaved by a chemical probe of propane-2-thiol/ n -hexylamine in toluene, while di- and polysulfidic crosslinkages were dissociated by a chemical probe of n -hexanethiol/ n -hexylamine in toluene. The experimental errors were lower than 2%. By using cubic apparent crosslink density, fractions of the crosslink types of an unknown rubber vulcanizate could be estimated even although the filler content and rubber composition are not analyzed.