Comparative analysis of ultrasonically devulcanized unfilled SBR, NR, and EPDM rubbers

The comparative study of the continuous ultrasonic devulcanization of various unfilled rubbers [natural rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM)] is carried out by means of a ultrasonic reactor. The power consumption, gel fraction, crosslink density, cure behavior, and physical properties of devulcanized rubbers were measured. The glass transition temperatures of virgin, vulcanized, and devulcanized rubbers were determined in order to characterize the difference in the mobility of rubber molecules for each rubber before and after devulcanization. Thermogravimetric analysis was also used to determine thermal stability of the various rubbers. A unique correlation between gel fraction and crosslink density indicated significant differences in the efficiency of devulcanization of various rubbers. Under certain devulcanization conditions, the mechanical properties of revulcanized SBR and EPDM rubbers were found to improve compared to those of the original rubbers. (C) 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.