• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.148-155
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• 2013

The crosslinking density of polymer can be quantitatively calculated by the Flory-Rehner equation using the swelling experimental data and the lattice constant ${\beta}_1$ of interaction parameter (${\chi}$) in this equation should be chosen have used cautiously. This ${\beta}_1$ is the experimental data by rule of thumb, and researchers have used little different values respectively. Generally, the average molecular weight between crosslink points $M_c$ in the Flory-Rehner equation and the Mooney-Rivlin equation have the same value, and ${\beta}_1$ can be calculated when the $M_c$ in the Flory-Rehner equation is given. Therefore, in this research, firstly we calculated the $M_c$ using the selected ${\beta}_1$ (=0.34) and the swelling experimental data of 1,2,3-triazole polymer from the Flory-Rehner equation, secondly the $M_c$ from the Mooney-Rivlin equation is calculated by the tensile experimental data, and finally two $M_c$ were compared. As a result, two $M_c$ values were almost the same, and it was proved that the ${\beta}_1$ (=0.34) was selected properly.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.718-725
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• 1999

In order to investigate the interaction characteristics of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) with various solvents such as water, ethanol, and iso-propanol, Inverse Gas Chromatography(IGC) at finite concentration, which is a very fast, accurate, and thus promising technique in thermodynamic study of polymer systems, is employed. By measuring the specific retention volumes of the probes, the interaction parameters are calculated by means of the Flory-Huggins equation. From the results, the interaction parameters of the probes are, as expected due to the hydrophobicity of the polymer, found to be of large positive values (2$2.0{\times}10^{-3}mol/g$. For the linear PDMS, interpretation of the space distribution of molecules is performed by the Kirkwood-Buff-Zimm(KBZ) integrals, which give intuitive information about physical properties. From the KBZ integrals, water does not show the tendency of preferential solvation with the PDMS but formed self-cluster. The larger solvent molecules show a stronger tendency to distribute more randomly in the mixture.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.209-219
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• 2019

It is important to analyze crosslink densities of rubber articles because the physical properties are dependent on the crosslink densities. In this paper, analytical techniques for the measurement of crosslink densities of rubber vulcanizates are described. The most widely used method to measure the crosslink density is a swelling method combined with the Flory-Rehner equation. Application of the interaction parameter (${\chi}$) of rubber and swelling solvent is critical because the crosslink density is absolutely dependent on the ${\chi}$ value. Methods for obtaining ${\chi}$ employ not only solubility parameters of the polymer and swelling solvent but also inverse gas chromatography (IGC). The solubilities of rubbers can be obtained using micro differential scanning calorimetry (${\mu}DSC$), intrinsic viscosity measurement, and UV-visible spectroscopy. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has been also used for the measurement of the crosslink density using the $T_2$ relaxation time, which is determined by spin-spin relaxation in solid-state NMR. For sulfur-cured rubber vulcanizates, crosslink densities according to the crosslink types of mono-, di-, and polysulfides are measured by treating the rubber samples with a chemical probe composed of thiol and amine compounds. Measurement methods of physical crosslinking by filler, crystallization, and ionic bonding have also been introduced.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.39-47
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• 2018

Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) is widely used in tire treads due to its excellent abrasion resistance, braking performance, and reasonable cost. Depending on the polymerization method, SBR is classified into solution-polymerized SBR (SSBR) and emulsion-polymerized SBR (ESBR). ESBR is less expensive and environmentally friendlier than SSBR because it uses water as a solvent. A higher molecular weight is also easier to obtain in ESBR, which has advantages in mechanical properties and tire performance. In ESBR polymerization, a surfactant is added to create an emulsion system with a hydrophobic monomer in the water phase. However, some amount of surfactant remains in the ESBR during coagulation, making the polymer chains in micelles clump together. As a result, it is well-known that residual surfactant adversely affects the physical properties of silica-filled ESBR compounds. However, researches about the effect of residual surfactant on the physical properties of ESBR are lacking. Therefore, in this study we compared the effects of remaining surfactant in ESBR on the mechanical properties of silica-filled and carbon black-filled compounds. The crosslinking density and filler-rubber interaction are also analyzed by using the Flory-Rehner theory and Kraus equation. In addition, the effects of surfactant on the mechanical properties and crosslinking density are compared with the effects of TDAE oil (a conventional processing aid).