• Elastomers and Composites
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.288-295
• /
• 2000

It has been tried to decrease the crosslink density of vulcanized EPDM (ethylone-propylene-diene terpolymer) rubber through a chemical devulcanization treatment. Phase transfer catalyst, alkali metal (i.e., sodium), and triphenylphosphine have been used as a chemical agent ul the devulcanization treatment. Also it has been estimated the effect of the devulcanization treatment in the case of utilization of 2-butanol as a devulcanization reaction solvent. In the devulcanization treatment using quaternary ammonium salt as a phase transfer catalyst. the devulcanization effect has been studied with the variation of catalyst molecular weight and the choice of bromide or chloride cation. In the devulcanization treatment using sodium, it has been estimated the devulcanization treatment effect depending upon the variation of reaction variables such as amount of sodium used, reaction temperature, pressure of hydrogen gas, which is used as a reaction environment. The $M_c$ value (number average molecular weight between two crosslink points) has been experimentally estimated by the equilibrium swelling method and it is quantitatively related to the crosslink density. The estimation of devulcanization effect for vulcanized EPDM rubber has been carried out by the comparison of the $M_c$ values between the untreated and the treated specimens.

• Macromolecular Research
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.30-38
• /
• 2005

Sulfur-cured gum natural rubber vulcanizates were devulcanized using two different concentrations of diallyl disulfide. The devulcanization process was performed at $110^{\circ}C$ min in an open two-roll cracker-cum-mixing mill. Natural rubber vulcanizates having various sulfur/accelerator ratios were used to study the cleavage of monosulfide, disulfide, and polysulfide bonds. The properties of devulcanized natural rubber increased upon increasing the disulfide concentration and the mechanical properties of the revulcanized natural rubber increased upon decreasing the sulfur content in the original rubber vulcanizates. The scorch time and the maximum state of cure both increased when the ground vulcanizates were treated with higher amounts of disulfide. TGA and DMA were conducted to study the effects of the devulcanization on the thermal stability and the $T_g$ behavior of the vulcanizates. SEM analysis was conducted to study how the failure mechanism was affected by the devulcanization process. It was possible to recover $70-80\%$ of the original gum rubber properties by using this process. From IR spectroscopic analysis, we observed that the oxidation of the main chains did not occur during high-temperature milling.

• Elastomers and Composites
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.38-50
• /
• 2003

This paper describes recent advances in ultrasonic devulcanization technology and the in.Situ ultrasonic compatibilization of the blends of the immiscible polymers by making copolymers at the interfaus and their vicinities and our understanding of the mechanism of these processes.

• Resources Recycling
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.59-65
• /
• 2015

Recycling of vulcanized rubber products is a serious problem in the world. A quantity of generated waste tires becomes much more and more because of increasing demands on automobiles, resulted in the cause of serious secondary pollution by sulfur component that is crosslinked to incineration or landfill. In addition, crosslinked surfur is used to interfere with the binding of the raw material rubber. In this study, we analyzed the degree of devulcanization by the chemical devulcanization. Devulcanization ratio of the samples were systematically analysed by variables such as time and temperature. In addition, the effect of swelling method as a pre-treatment process was also measured. A rubber specimen was deepened in a organic 2-buthanol solutions during various times of 1 ~ 5 hrs at 100, 150, $200^{\circ}C$ respectively, then to calculate the crosslink density and the number average molecular weight by using a parallel expansion process, which showed devulcanization degree of analyzed samples quantitatively. Also, the mechanical properties were measured with the samples prepared by using a hot press.

• Resources Recycling
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.36-45
• /
• 2015

In this study, various sizes of waste ground rubber tire (WGRT) were devulcanized by a single screw extruder equipped with a sonicator in front of the die, and waste PP and devulcanized waste ground rubber tire (DWGRT) composites were prepared by an intermeshing co-rotating twin screw extruder. The crosslink density and percent devulcanization of WGRT and DWGRT for 40, 80 and 140 meshes were calculated. The mechanical properties of the composites were compared with each other. The effect of SEBS-g-MA as a compatibilizer was investigated on mechanical properties of both waste PP/WGRT and waste PP/DWGRT composites. The crosslink density was decreased with decreasing the WGRT size. On the other hand, the percent devulcanization was increased by adding the smaller size of WGRT. Also, tensile strength, impact strength and elongation at break of the composite with DWGRT were higher than those with WGRT. Especially, mechanical properties of the composites were significantly increased by adding the smaller size of WGRT and DWGRT. Addition of SEBS-g-MA into both waste PP/(D)WGRT composites exhibited better impact strength and elongation at break than the composites themselves.

• Resources Recycling
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.55-61
• /
• 2015

In this study, mechanical properties of waste ground rubber tire powder were investigated to evaluate the influence of pre-treatment process for recycling. The tensile test, fracture test and morphology observation were carried out using various kinds of waste ground tire powders, which were produced by grinding and devulcanization process, respectively. As a results, it was found that the produced rubber powder through grinding process increased its tensile strength and elongation with decreasing particle size because of decreasing surface area. Devulcanized rubber powder also increased its tensile strength and elongation by de-crosslink with sulfur. It could be also suggested that devulcanization treatment after grinding process was more efficient recycling process for both increasing tensile property and fracture elongation of waste ground rubber tire powders.

• Elastomers and Composites
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.249-258
• /
• 2007

In this study, the EPDM powder which was surface activated by high temperature and shear pulverization process was prepared and the mechanical properties and odor material analysis were investigated. Analysis for particle size and size distribution of waste of the EPDM powder has been performed. The waste EPDMs used in this study were 4 types of solid, sponge, solid+sponge, and solid+metal. According to the results, the solid type showed the smallest particle size among the 4 types of EPDM powder. Effective surface devulcanization of EPDM powder could be obtained by the addition of the reclaiming agent. The dicumyl peroxide was considered as the best crosslink agent for dynamic vulcanization when the surface activated EPDM powder was blended with polyolefin in order to make TPE. Also, the optimum amounts of DCP was 6 phr in terms of surface crosslink reaction and mechanical properties of EPDM powder. The processes of water adsorption and rose oil addition were employed to remove the odor of EPDM powder caused by reclaiming agent. The GC/MS was used to analyze the odor compounds.