| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 830696 | Materials & Design (1980-2015) | 2012 | 7 Pages |
The aim of this work was to develop and characterize styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) composites filled with SBR industrial scraps (SBR-r) devulcanized by microwave. The SBR-r was ground under ambient conditions and subjected to microwave exposure for 1, 2 and 3 min. The composites were developed by the incorporation of 80 phr (parts per hundred of rubber) of the devulcanized SBR-r into the rubber matrix and subsequent revulcanization. The rheometric and physical–mechanical properties (shore A hardness, compression set, tensile and tear strength) were determined. The samples were submitted to two types of accelerated aging processes, in an air oven (thermo-oxidation) and an artificial weathering test in a UV chamber (photo-oxidation). The results were compared with a control sample submitted to the same conditions. For further application in automotive profiles, the set of results indicated that the best performance was achieved by the composite containing SBR-r devulcanized for 2 min in a microwave. For this composite, the changes in the chemical characteristics after aging were evaluated with cross-link density and Attenuated Total Reflectance–Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR–FTIR) analyses. The results revealed that the aging mechanism was dependent on the presence of SBR-r and on the time of aging. The cross-link density analysis confirmed the occurrence of cross-link scissioning at shorter aging times and the formation of additional cross-linking in the postcure process. The ATR–FTIR results indicated an oxidative process occurring on the surface of the composites for both aging processes. Moreover, artificial weathering presented a more pronounced change in the chemical structure of the samples.
► Rubber composites filled with SBR industrial waste devulcanized by microwaves. ► Rheometric and physical–mechanical properties. ► Thermo and photo-oxidation aging process. ► Application of the composites in automotive profiles.
