Mooney Scorch Time and Cure Index of Epoxidized Natural Rubber in Presence of Sodium Carbonate

摘要

The effect of sodium carbonate on the Mooney scorch time and cure index of epoxidized natural rubber (ENR 50) was studied wiht concentrations of 0-2 phr and 100-160 deg C temperatures. A conventionl vulcanization system based on an ASTM formulation was used throughout the investigation on the gum and carbon black filled rubber compound. The results indicated that the scorch time and cure index for the gum and fille docmpounds increased to a maximum value at 0.15 phr of sodium carbonate, and further loading of sodium carbonate caused it to decrease. This observation was attributed to the neutralization of the residual acid in ENR 50 in the initial stage, thus reducting the formation of ether crosslinks via an acid-catalyzed ring-opening reaction wiht the epoxide group in ENR50. However, as the sodium carbonate was increased beyond 0.15 phr, the excess sodium carbonate enhanced the vulcanization rate as shown by the drop of the scorch time and cure index. The peak maximum was more evident at lower temperature and its peak height decreased with increasing temperature, suggesting that the neutralization effect by sodium carbonate was overshadowed by the faster cure rate resulting from teh availability of thermal energy to overcome the activation energy of vulcanization as the temperature was elevated.