Sulfur-crosslinked EPDMs were examined by
1H pulsed NMR. Spin-spin relaxation time (
T2) was measured by Hahn echo method. The decay curve was resolved into two components,
T2n and
T2nn, which were arising from network molecules and non-network molecules, respectively. For unfilled EPDMs prepared at varying sulfur content, the higher order structures analyzed by Hahn echo method were almost the same as those analyzed for peroxide-crosslinked EPDMs. The reciprocal of Ten measured at 150°C for unfilled EPDMs increased linearly with increase in apparent crosslinking density (ν
s) values determined by modified Flory-Rehner equation. For EPDMs filled with carbon black (CB), the crosslinking density of rubber phase (ν
R) was calculated from the relationship between ν
s and 1/
T2n for unfilled EPDMs. The crosslinking density related to CB (ν
F) was obtained from the difference between the ν
s and ν
R. The ν
F values showed good correlation with the tensile stress at 100% elongation, independent of the kinds of cure agents.
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