New Coagents in Peroxide Vulcanization of EPM

Abstract

Abstract In a previous study, the mechanism of EPM peroxide vulcanization in the presence of various aromatic bis(allyl)esters was elucidated. It was concluded that the elastomer-coagent blend was phase separated and that during vulcanization chemical crosslinks are formed between the elastomer matrix and coagent domains. In this study the effect of the chemical structure of the coagent on the ultimate properties of the vulcanizate is reported. For this purpose a series of new coagents has been synthesized. It was found that bis(allyl) coagents with relatively flexible interlinking segments provide vulcanizates with improved mechanical properties.