Oxidative Degradation of Swollen Vulcanizates

Abstract

1. In the course of a study of the oxidative degradation of vulcanizates with different structures (a thermal vulcanizate, a vulcanizate with Thiuram, one with diphenylguanidine and, one with zinc ethylphenyldithiocarbamate) it was established that the swollen vulcanizate, regardless of the accelerator present, undergoes two simultaneous reactions—destruction and structure formation. 2. It was revealed that the dominance of the destructive process, in the oxidation of swollen vulcanizates, can occur only in the presence of antioxidants; and that only after a considerable consumption of antioxidant does the rate of structure formation equal or exceed the rate of destruction. 3. It was shown that the behavior of antioxidants in swollen vulcanizates is governed not only by the nature of the rubber, but also in large degree by the nature of the solvent.