• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.245-250
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• 2015

Recycling of ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer (EPDM) scrap was tried by blending with polypropylene (PP). EPDM scrap powder was prepared by shear pulverization process at high temperature, which may lead to selective chain scission induced by difference in the critical elastic coefficient. On the other hand, EPDM scrap powder was prepared by adding a selected reclaiming agent during shear pulverization process at high temperature. Terpene as a bonding agent was then introduced to improve adhesion property. PP, used as a matrix for manufacturing thermoplastic elastomer, was modified by the incorporation of dicumyl peroxide and maleic anhydride. The functionalized EPDM and modified PP were blended and cured dynamically at $190^{\circ}C$. The blend materials prepared in this study showed the comparable results to those of conventional TPE in terms of tensile and flow properties. Also, the odor component of recycled EPDM was analyzed using GC-MS.

• Clean Technology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.180-185
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• 2009

The ethylene-propylene rubber (EPDM) scrap generated from automobile weatherstrip manufacturing process was used to make a thermoplastic elastomer through blending with polypropylene. The surface activated EPDM powder was obtained by the high temperature and shear pulverizer. The addition of surfactant resulted in more surface activated EPDM powder and the optimum loading amounts of surfactant was 1.5 phr. Maleic anhydride was grafted onto polypropylene by reactive blending to give functionalized polypropylene. The wetting property between EPDM scrap and polypropylene was improved by the addition of poly (ethylene-co-acrylic acid) as a compatibilizing agent. Poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid) decreased the surface tension of polypropylene and thus would contribute to the wettability with EPDM powder.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.115-121
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• 2000

In comparison with thermosetting rubber, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) has various advantages such as simple processing, short cycle time and recycling of scrap. These advantages can lead to development of the high value-added rubber products due to reduction of the waste material, manufacturing cost and the defected product. This article involves a dynamic vulcanization method for EPDM/polypropylene blend, and the manufacturing of a fixed glass weather-strip by glass insert molding method using the blend. In order to investigate mechanical properties of the product, tensile strength, elongation, hardness and specific gravity were measured. Also morphological study was carried out using SEM. Developments of an efficient system of production and automatic process by molding of TPE and glass simultaneously are expected.

• Clean Technology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.172-179
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• 2009

The thermoplastic polyurethane waste (TPU-S) with good tensile properties, hardness, NBS abrasion resistance, specific gravity and low wet coefficient of kinetic friction was melt-blended with ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM) with high wet slip resistance and low mechanical properties to form EPDM/TPU-S blend films, and their composition-property relationship was investigated to find the optimum composition for shoe outsole material. The properties except the wet slip resistance increased with increasing TPU-S contents in the blend. All the properties except elongation at break, specific gravity and the wet coefficient of kinetic friction in the range of $0{\sim}65\;wt%$ of TPU-S did not attain the values predicted by the simple additive rule. The optimum weight ratio of EPDM/TPU-S for the application to the typical shoe outsole material was found to be 30/70.