Coagents

Coagents ate often used with peroxides to increase the state of cure. Some coagents, such as polybutadiene or multifimctional methacrylates, are used at high levels to form polymer grafts or interpenetrating networks. Other coagents such as triaHyl cyanurate, triaHyl trimelHtate, and y /i -phenjiene bismaleimide are used at low levels to reduce the tendency of the polymer to degrade by chain scission. 

Peroxides decompose when heated to produce active free radicals which ia turn react with the mbber to produce cross-links. The rate of peroxide cure is coatroUed by temperature and selection of the specific peroxide, based on half-hfe considerations (see Initiators, free-RADICAL Peroxy compounds, organic). Although some chemicals, such as bismaleimides, triaHyl isocyanurate, and diaHyl phthalate, act as coagents ia peroxide cures, they are aot vulcanisation accelerators. lastead they act to improve cross-link efftcieacy (cross-linking vs scissioa), but aot rate of cross-link formatioa. 

Property Diamine Dibydroxy cross-linker/accelerator Peroxide / coagent... 

The reactive extrusion of polypropylene-natural rubber blends in the presence of a peroxide (1,3-bis(/-butyl per-oxy benzene) and a coagent (trimethylol propane triacrylate) was reported by Yoon et al. [64]. The effect of the concentration of the peroxide and the coagent was evaiuated in terms of thermal, morphological, melt, and mechanical properties. The low shear viscosity of the blends increased with the increase in peroxide content initially, and beyond 0.02 phr the viscosity decreased with peroxide content (Fig. 9). The melt viscosity increased with coagent concentration at a fixed peroxide content. The morphology of the samples indicated a decrease in domain size of the dispersed NR phase with a lower content of the peroxide, while at a higher content the domain size increases. The reduction in domain size... 

The dicyclopentadiene terpolymer can give higher states of cure with peroxides than the copolymer, although in peroxide curing of both the copolymer and terpolymer it is common practice to add a coagent, to increase the state of cure. Triaryl isocyanurate or sulphur are the most common coagents. 

The saturated main chain of the copolymer confers excellent resistance to oxygen, ozone and light, but means that these materials cannot be crosslinked by sulphur. Peroxides and radiation are the only methods by which crosslinking can be accomplished, and coagents are often required to achieve the required state of cure. 

Crosslinking systems based on peroxides are usually simple. Unlike with sulphur vulcanisation systems, the addition of ZnO and stearic acid is not necessary, so crosslinking is achieved in many cases simply using a crosslinking peroxide. However, the addition of a coagent may be useful (see below). In some other cases, a combination of various types of crosslinking peroxides may be suitable. 

Single- and twin-screw extruders with customised screw profiles are used to produce low density PETP-PP foams in the presence of reactive compatibiliser and coagents. Low density PETP foam is also produced from... 

The coagent functionality of this compound helps to improve the crosslinking effect, and is comparable with DCP. Moreover, the multifunctional peroxides investigated provide by-products after their decomposition, but without an unpleasant smell, unlike DCP. Comparative physical properties of the PP/EPDM TPVs... 

Influences of the different methacrylates and 1,2-polybutadiene as coagents on the mechanical and rheological properties of the peroxide-cured PP/EPDM TPVs were reported by Rishi and Noordermeer [39, 40]. They interpreted the results in terms of solubility parameter and cure kinetics. The effects of coagents on both processing and properties of the compound depend on the nature of the polymer, type of peroxide, and other compounding ingredients. Among the methacrylate... 

EPDM ethylene propylene diene rubber with 50 wt% paraffinic oil extended, PP polypropylene, DTBT 2,4-diallyloxy-6-fer/-butylpcroxy-1,3,5-triazinc (95% pure), DCP dicumyl peroxide (40% pure), TAC triallyl cyanurate (50% pure), 1076-Irganox 1076, 168-Irgafos 168 Values in the parentheses correspond to the milliequivalent concentration of corresponding peroxide and coagent per 100 parts of pure EPDM rubber... 

De Risi FR (2007) The role of coagents in peroxide cured PP/EPDM TPVs. Ph.D. thesis, University of Twente, The Netherlands... 

The competition between the phase separation and crosslinking processes opens up the possibility of controlling pattern formation and the structure of the resulting material by varying the reaction temperature and the blend composition. There is considerable effort to modify the useful properties of elastomers by introducing a coagent that is copolymerized with the elastomer and contributes positively... 

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