Thermoplastic Elastomer Based on Epoxidized Natural Rubber/Polyamide-12 and Co-Polyamide-12 Blends

Abstract

Thermoplastic elastomers based on blending of epoxidized natural rubber with 30 mol% epoxide (ENR-30) with polyamide-12 (PA-12) (i.e., ENR-30/PA-12) and blending of ENR-30 with co-polyamide-12 (ENR-30/CO-PA-12) were prepared by dynamic vulcanization technique. It was found that the dynamically cured ENR-30/PA-12 blends exhibited higher tensile strength, Youngs modulus and hardness than those of the ENR-30/CO-PA-12 blends. However, the elongation at break of the ENR-30/PA-12 blend was very poor and hence the tension set could not be determined. On the other hand, the ENR-30 contents in the dynamically cured ENR-30/CO-PA-12 influence on various properties. These include lowering of stiffness and tensile properties together with enhancing elastic properties (i.e. lower tension set and tan ) of the blends.