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Long‐term stiffening of neoprene pads for the Poseidon missile launch system
Author(s) -
Meier J. F.,
Rudd G. E.,
Rosenblatt G. B.
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.1972.070160303
Subject(s) - neoprene , materials science , deflection (physics) , composite material , elastomer , carbon black , missile , natural rubber , engineering , aerospace engineering , physics , optics
In a previous paper 1 the development of neoprene formulations and mechanical designs to meet operational requirements for the Poseidon launch tube liner pads were presented. Subsequently, it was found that early development pads aged for three months at room temperature were ∼10% stiffer than the vendor's qualification compression–deflection (CD) test values. The increase was attributed to a combination of normal elastomer recovery and continued crosslinking due to the original low state of cure of the pads. A program was designed to study the effect of postcure time and temperature on CD recovery, the effect of carbon black loading on the CD recovery, and room temperature and accelerated aging at elevated temperature on these effects. Values of the molecular weight between crosslinks ( M̄ c ) were determined experimentally to establish the state of cure. The results of these experiments are presented and discussed. Recommendations are given for reducing CD variation by modifying carbon black loading and/or postcure conditions.