FTIR-THUNDERDOME THERMOOXIDATION STUDIES OF HIGH TEMPERATURE ACRYLATE ELASTOMERS

摘要

Ethyl acrylate (EA), butyl acrylate (BA) and methoxyethyl acrylate (MEA) materials (ACM rubber compounds) are used as heat resistant materials whose resistance is currently evaluated through the impact on mechanical properties of the corresponding items. In the temperature domain 150 up to 200 °C, the mechanical property impact is due to the intrinsic or induced thermooxidation of the formulated matrix and by the migration of the plasticizer. The paper will describe a FTIR spectrophotometric analysis of the chemical evolutions of complete ACM formulations submitted to thermooxidation from 150 up to 200°C. Due to the presence of high percent of carbon black, a technique based on FTIR spectrophotometry in the Thunderdome mode associated with controlled erosions was utilised. The chemical analysis could evidence the relative importance of the thermooxidation route on the basis of the carbonylated groups formed and of the plasticizer migration at different temperatures. A thermooxidation mechanism will be proposed to account for the experimental results collected.