Prediction of the ageing of rubber using the chemiluminescence approach and isoconversional kinetics

A common scepticism towards the application of many product formulations results from the fact that their long-term stability is difficult to predict. In the present study we report on a new approach of kinetic analysis of the oxidation reactions of natural rubbers with and without stabiliser in an oxygen atmosphere at moderate temperatures using CL measurements carried out on a newly-developed instrumentation. The kinetic parameters of the oxidation process, calculated from the chemiluminescence's signals by means of the differential isoconversional method of Friedman, were subsequently applied for the simulation of the rubber aging under different temperature profiles. The presented results are the first stage of research by using the chemiluminescence method to measure the oxidative aging of rubber and predicting the life time of rubber items.