Abstract

The cure characteristics of EPDM compounds were investigated using of an oscillatory cure meter, namely, the rubber process analyzer (RPA 2000). Cure tests were conducted at different cure conditions and the effects of temperature, frequency and strain on the elastic (S’) and viscous (S”) cure torque curves were studied. The results showed that the cure process was affected strongly by the changes in the test conditions. Increasing temperature assisted the vulcanization which was indicated by the greater rate of cure and shorter cure time. It was found that with increasing cure temperature, tmax S” were approximately is the same them as real scorch time (tC10). As the cure frequency increased, scorch and cure time and the slope of the elastic torque are not changed significantly and the percentage of cure at tmax S” decreases. With increasing strain, the elastic and viscous torques increase and the nonlinearity effect was observed at the higher strain.

Keywords: EPDM (Ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber); Rubber process analyzer (RPA); Cure characteristics; Cure conditions