Investigation of relaxation process in elastomers filled with ground vulcanizate

Abstract

In the paper, the relaxation processes in the el astomeric compositions based on nitrile rubber and filed with ground vulcanizate are studied. The ground vulcanizate is obtained from waste products of molded rubber products. The particle size is 0.63–1.00 mm. The main elastic and stress-strain properties of elasomeric compositions under research are determined. The dependence of the properties on the ground vulcanizate dosage is considered. It is shown that the growth of ground vulcanizate dosage increases the viscosity of the rubber compounds. At the same time the stress relaxation rate was practically not changed. The processes of compression and tension stress relaxation in vulcanizates are studied. It is revealed that the nature of the process of physical relaxation does not change with increasing the dosage of the ground vulcanizate. There is the growth of the modulus with the increasing of the filler dosage. It is determined that the degree of stress relaxation in tensile strain is practically independent on the do sage of the filler and it has an extreme character for the compressed samples. It is shown that the use of ground vulcanizate as a filler for elastomeric compositions based on NBR can slow processes of the chemical stress relaxation in the elastomeric matrix, as well as it can improve the physical and mechanical properties of vulcanizates. The results of studies suggest that ground vulcanizate can be used as a filler for sealing rubber.