Protection of Rubber against Ozone

Abstract

Abstract Currently, chemical antiozonants can be considered to function by scavenging ozone and, in the process, forming a protective barrier to prevent further ozone attack. Therefore, antiozonants must do two things: 1. react more rapidly with ozone than the rubber and 2. in the process, form products on the surface which prevent ozone from reaching both the underlying antiozonant and the rubber. Presently, more work is needed to define exactly what characteristics are required for the ozonized products to serve as an effective barrier. However, indications are that they must have a higher molecular weight than the antiozonant.