Abstract

Bromobutyl Rubber (BIIR) is increasingly used in elastomer industries for its unique physico-chemical and air barrier properties. This rubber is widely used in tyre Inner Liner (IL) compound due to very good air retention properties. In this study BIIR is mixed with Semi Reinforcing carbon black (SRF). Vulcanization characteristics and cure kinetics are studied on compound level. Due to low unsaturation in BIIR, Zinc Oxide (ZnO) is used in the vulcanization process as a curative. Here the study has been done with three BIIR having three different microstructure of different unsaturation content (1.77, 1.34 and 1.43) to see the effect in cure kinetics. At the end of this study it has been concluded that the activation energy in vulcanization reaction is decreasing with increase in degree of unsaturation.

Keywords:Bromobutyl rubber; Polymerisation; Vulcanization; Activation energy