"Crystallization behavior of trans-1,4-polyisoprene/natural rubber blending vulcanizates"

Abstract

A temperature-sensitive trans-1,4-polyisoprene (TPI)/natural rubber (NR) blending vulcanizate was prepared by controlling the ratio of TPI to NR. The results showed that the addition of NR reduced the X-ray diffraction peak intensity, crystallization enthalpy, and crystallinity of the blends. As the amount of NR increased, tensile strength of the TPI/NR vulcanizate decreased, while elongation at break increased, and the overall trend of particle dispersion on the fracture surface showed an increasing tendency. NR and TPI exhibited good compatibility, resulting in uniform dispersion of filler networks in the blends, with both storage modulus and loss factor varying with the amount of NR used. Blends of different ratios exhibited low-temperature setting and high-temperature rebound effects under stress. The addition of NR had a greater inhibitory effect on the β-crystalline phase in the blends. When its amount reached 30 phr (by mass), the X-ray diffraction peaks disappeared in the blends, with the smallest amount of particles on the fracture surface, and the highest crosslinking density.