RECLAIMING OF GROUND RUBBER TIRE BY SAFE MULTIFUNCTIONAL RUBBER ADDITIVES: III. STYRENE BUTADIENE/RECLAIMED GROUND RUBBER TIRE VULCANIZATES

Abstract

ABSTRACT Mechanochemically reclaimed ground rubber tire (GRT; i.e., reclaimed rubber [RR]) was revulcanized in combination with styrene–butadiene rubber (SBR). The SBR/RR blend vulcanizates with RR content from 20 to 80 wt% were prepared and studied. Reclaiming of GRT was successfully carried out by tetra benzyl thiuram disulfide in the presence of spindle oil at around ambient temperature. The cure characteristics and physical properties of the SBR/RR blend were studied. The optimum cure time decreased, but scorch time remain unaltered with increasing RR content in the blend. The effect of carbon black was studied in SBR/RR (80/20) blend vulcanizate to determine its ultimate use. Aging characteristics of different SBR/RR blends were evaluated. The thermogravimetric analysis, strain sweep, and dynamic mechanical analysis of SBR/RR blend vulcanizates were examined. The thermal stability of the blend vulcanizates was decreased with an increase in RR content. Strain sweep analysis was performed to determine the RR/SBR miscibility. Temperature sweep measurement indicated that the elastic and storage modulus of the SBR/RR vulcanizates improved with increasing RR content. Scanning electron microscopy analysis was performed to study the coherency and homogeneity in the SBR/RR vulcanizate.