The Vulcanization of Elastomers. XI. The Vulcanization of Natural Rubber with Sulfur in the Presence of Mercaptobenzothiazole. I

Abstract

Abstract 1. The decrease of free sulfur occurs according to the first order law during the vulcanization of natural rubber accelerated by mercaptobenzothiazole in the presence of zinc oxide. The activating energy for this reaction amounts to 30.5 kcal./mole. 2. If zinc benzothiazolylmercaptide is used as an accelerator, one obtains the same rate constants for the sulfur decrease as in the presence of mercaptobenzothiazole. These seem to be equivalent as regards their effectiveness of acceleration. 3. A kinetic analysis of the reciprocal swelling, which represents a measure of network formation, indicates that the reaction is first order. Sulfur decrease and reciprocal swelling prove to be equal processes as regards rate. This is true where vulcanization is accelerated with mercaptobenzothiazole or with the zinc salt. 4. During vulcanization there occurs a decrease of accelerator concentration. This is dependent upon the temperature and is tied in with the combination sulfur with rubber. 5. If the quantity of the accelerator added is changed, the rate constants for sulfur decrease and for reciprocal swelling do not change, provided that a minimum quantity of accelerator is present. 6. In vulcanization accelerated with zinc benzothiazolylmercaptide, zinc oxide being absent, sulfur decrease again occurs according to the first order law but considerably faster, without thereby changing the activation energy. These investigations are being continued and the results will be discussed in detail in relation to other published contributions in this field.