Exposure of a Nitrile Rubber to Fuels of Varying Aromatics Level

摘要

A nitrile rubber was incubated in fuels to which model aromatic compounds had been added at several levels. Changes in the rubber were determined by standard elastic property determinations after various periods of incubation. The main determinant of attack by the fuel was its aromatic level. Naphthalene was particularly effective in promoting swell and softening, but had about the same effect on elastic properties as mononuclear aromatics at the same level. Cycling of the nitrile rubber between two fuels of considerably different aromatics level degraded tensile properties to a greater extent than did exposure to either fuel alone for the same total period of time.