Abstract
Brominated Ethylene-Propylene-Rubber (BEPDM) was investigated as a candidate to improve the co-vulcanization and properties of EPDM/Diene elastomer blends. BEPDM of 2.4 wt% bromination was prepared by reaction of EPDM with Br2 at r. t. Mechanical and adhesive properties of a series of the blends with Natural Rubber (NR) were studied. The tensile strength of NR/BEPDM blends were significantly higher than those of NR/EPDM blends. BEPDM also exhibited significantly better rubber-rubber adhesion with NR compared to the unbrominated one. SEM observation showed that all the NR/BEPDM blends investigated had rougher rupture surfaces than those of NR/EPDM blends.
These results indicate that bromination of EPDM improved the covulcanization, tensile strength, and adhesive strength of NR/EPDM blends.
