Identification and Determination of Polymers in Compounded Cured Rubber Stocks by Pyrolysis and Two-Channel Gas Chromatography

Abstract

Abstract Methods for analysis of carbon-black-loaded vulcanizates are of considerable interest to the rubber industry and to those supplying its raw materials. Identification of polymers or copolymers present in such stocks is an important step in this analysis. Often it becomes desirable also to determine the composition of a blend of two or more elastomers. In recent years gas chromatographic analysis of volatile pyrolysis products has been increasingly applied to these intractable materials. A wide variety of polymers and experimental techniques for pyrolysis and subsequent chromatographic analysis have been used. A complete resume of this work is beyond the scope of this report, but recent papers dealing with the use of these methods in elastomer analysis include those of Groten, Hulot and Lebel, Blenkin, Lebel, Fiorenza and Bonomi, and an excellent review of pyrolytic techniques by Brauer. This study was an evaluation of the applicability of simultaneous flame ionization and electron capture (dual-channel) chromatography, with or without temperature programming to polymer identification and to quantitative analysis of elastomer blends.