Studies for methods to improve thermostability of the functionalized butadiene styrene rubbers
It is well known that the tire performance properties can deteriorate in the processes of production, processing, storage and operation. One of the reasons for that is a series of processes occurring in the polymer under the influence of different factors: thermal, mechanical or chemical. This problem is particularly relevant for functionalized polymers, as functional groups can interact with each other, causing side cross linking reactions that lead to a deterioration of consumer properties of the products. The main purpose of this work was to study influence of several key factors on the thermostability of functionalized rubbers in order to find a solution: different types of antioxidants, rubber polymerizate stripping conditions and rubber processing. In accordance with the problem, solutions were found and work was carried out in several directions: changing the pH of the medium in the rubber stripping and using antioxidants containing carbonyl groups located in ?-positions to methylene groups, namely Irganox 1520 and Irganox 1076. As an evaluation factor, thermal treatment was selected in two modes: at 100 °C for 48 hours and after extruder at 130 °C for 5 minutes + 100 °C for 48 hours. At the same time, the following parameters were determined: molecular weight characteristics and Mooney viscosity of the starting polymers and after thermal aging. During the experiments, it was found that the acidity of the medium in the water degasser does not affect the crosslinking of the functionalized rubber during storage. In addition, a study was made of the effect of the type of antioxidant and its quantity on the thermal stability of functionalized styrene butadiene rubbers, as well as the study of the effect of the content of the modifying agent on the thermal stability of the product. It has been found that the use, as antioxidants, of carbonyl compounds containing a methylene group at the ?-position, leads to inhibition of the cross-linking of the functionalized rubber during storage.