"Vulcanization kinetics and properties of ethylene-propylene-diene monomer /ethylene-propylene rubber blends "

Abstract

Isayev model and Piloyan model were used to fit the vulcanization kinetics parameters and reaction activation energy of ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) /ethylene-propylene rubber (EPR) blends with different mass ratios of EPDM to EPR. The effects of mass ratio of EPDM to EPR on curing characteristics, physical and mechanical properties, and aging resistance of the blends were investigated. The results showed that Isayev model and Piloyan model could describe vulcanization reaction process of EPDM/EPR blends well, while Piloyan model could not describe scorch period reaction of the blends. With increasing amount of EPR, the activation energy of vulcanization reaction of the blends increased, vulcanization rate decreased, phy-sical and mechanical properties of the vulcanizates decreased, and the aging resistance improved.