NOVEL FILLER-INTERACTIVE BUTYL-TYPE THERMOPLASTIC ELASTOMERS: POTENTIAL REPLACEMENT OF HALOBUTYL RUBBER

摘要

This work investigated the effect of carbon black and silica reinforcement of novel curable thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) consisting of polyisobutylene (PIB) and polyalloocimene (PAllo) blocks. Samples containing diblock copolymers and homo-PIB reinforced with 60 phr carbon black (Black Pearl 4350 or N660) showed 500 % increase in the ultimate tensile strength, to ～12 - 16 MPa. Tri- and tetrablock copolymers showed ～50 % increase in the ultimate tensile strength to a maximum of 19 and 22 MPa, respectively, at the optimal carbon black loading of 30 and 45 phr. 15 phr silica loading resulted in ～50 % increase of the ultimate tensile strength of a triblock copolymer. The new TPE polymers cured similarly to Exxon Bromobutyl 2222 with a higher state of cure, making the poly(Allo-b-IB) TPEs a potential replacement of halobutyl rubbers.