Degradation of the rubber network during dynamic vulcanization of EPDM/PP blends using phenolic resol

Physical blends and thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs) based on EPDM and PP were prepared in a batch mixer. Dynamic vulcanization of TPVs using resol/SnCl2 was studied as a function of time. Static and dynamic vulcanization of EPDM in the absence of PP were also studied. Crosslinking of EPDM in the absence of PP is more efficient via static than dynamic vulcanization. For EPDM/PP-based TPVs the extent of crosslinking reaction versus time decreases as the amount of EPDM increases. Degradation of the EPDM network occurs during dynamic vulcanization, due to the combined action of shearing and high temperature, and increases as EPDM becomes more and more the continuous phase.The authors are grateful to the Portuguese Foundation of Science and Technology (FT) for financial support (SFRH/BD/19536/2004 and PPCDT/CTM/60454/2004)