Slow Decomposition of Silicone Rubber

摘要

The sol content of previously-extracted samples of lightly-crosslinked silicone rubber has been found to increase during prolonged storage under relatively mild conditions. Simultaneously, the tensile stress slowly decreases in samples held stretched, and the equilibrium degree of swelling increases somewhat. Thus, the polymer network appears to undergo slow decomposition. This process is accelerated by moisture, by ammonia vapor and by raising the temperature of storage.