Detection of the Molecular Orientation in Nonvulcanized and Vulcanized Natural Rubber Compounds by the Low-Temperature X-Ray Method

Abstract

Abstract The low-temperature x-ray method can detect the orientation of NR molecules in both vulcanizate samples and nonvulcanizate samples of NR compounds. The presence of carbon black is important for causing the orientation. NR molecules orient in the direction of stretch-relaxation in the case of uniaxially fatigued vulcanizates or in the direction of shear in the case of nonvulcanizates prepared by various processing methods. The orientation of NR molecules in nonvulcanizates usually disappears when vulcanized, but a fairly large extent of molecular orientation remains, even after vulcanization, if there exist crosslinks in the oriented nonvulcanizate and the sample is prevented from shrinkage.