Effect of different sulfur content in Natural Rubber mixtures on their thermo-mechanical and surface properties

In this study, a field experiment was conducted to find out the effect of different levels of sulfur on natural rubbers mixtures. Vulcanization is a chemical process for converting natural rubber or related polymers into more durable materials by heating them with sulfur other equivalent curatives with accelerators. These additives modify the polymer by forming cross-links (bridges) between individual polymer chains. Vulcanized materials are less sticky and have superior mechanical properties. The results indicated that the application of sulfur -as a vulcanasing agent-had significant effect on mechanical (Shore A hardness test), thermal (DSC calorimetry) and surface-optical properties (SEM microscopy) of mixtures