Solvent resistance and mechanical properties in thermoplastic elastomer blends prepared by dynamic vulcanization

Dynamic vulcanization was used to prepare thermoplastic elastomer blends of nylon (polyamide), polypropylene (PP) and polybutylene terephthalate thermoplastics with chlorobutyl (CIIR) and nitrile (NBR) rubbers. Mechanical properties of the blends were correlated against composition. Although hardness and tensile strength increase with increasing thermoplastic content for all blends, elongation at break values initially decrease and then increase in the range of 20–40% thermoplastic. For various blend compositions, the swelling behavior was evaluated with solvents that are able to dissolve the uncured rubber portion but not the thermoplastic component of the mixtures. All five systems showed swelling index values that were substantially less than the calculated “theoretical” values of swelling index. This was attributed to a caging effect of the thermoplastic component on the rubber phase, which restricts access of solvent and swelling of the rubber phase. In turn, this affects the solvent resistance of the blend. Some of the blends were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry to assess the compatibility of the components in the blend. scanning electron microscopy was also used to determine the degree of compatibility of the two phases generated in the mixing process. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008