Ethylene-propylene-diene monomer elastomers

Fig. 1. SAE J200 Classification system for ASTM No. 3 oil where in volume swell nr = no requirement. EPDM is ethylene—propylene—diene monomer HR, butyl mbber SBR, styrene—butadiene mbber NR, natural mbber VMQ, methyl vinyl siUcone CR, chloroprene FKM, fluoroelastomer FVMQ, fluorovinyl methyl siUcone ACM, acryUc elastomers HSN, hydrogenated nitrile ECO, epichlorohydrin and NBR, nitrile mbber.

Ethylene—Propylene Rubber. Ethylene and propjiene copolymerize to produce a wide range of elastomeric and thermoplastic products. Often a third monomer such dicyclopentadiene, hexadiene, or ethylene norbomene is incorporated at 2—12% into the polymer backbone and leads to the designation ethylene—propylene—diene monomer (EPDM) mbber (see Elastomers, synthetic-ethylene-propylene-diene rubber). The third monomer introduces sites of unsaturation that allow vulcanization by conventional sulfur cures. At high levels of third monomer it is possible to achieve cure rates that are equivalent to conventional mbbers such as SBR and PBD. Ethylene—propylene mbber (EPR) requires peroxide vulcanization. 

Elastomers—neoprene, ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM)... 

Observations Ethylene-propylene diene monomers (EPDM) elastomers consisting of... 

With larger amount of propylene a random copolymer known as ethylene-propylene-monomer (EPM) copolymer is formed, which is a useful elastomer with easy processability and improved optical properties.208,449 Copolymerization of ethylene and propylene with a nonconjugated diene [EPDM or ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer copolymer] introduces unsaturation into the polymer structure, allowing the further improvement of physical properties by crosslinking (sulfur vulcanization) 443,450 Only three dienes are employed commercially in EPDM manufacture dicyclopentadiene, 1,4-hexadiene, and the most extensively used 5-ethylidene-2-norbomene. 

Bhowmick and co-workers [168] investigated the bulk and surface modification of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber and fluoro-elastomer by electron beam irradiation. The structure of the modified elastomers was analysed with the help of IR spectroscopy and XPS. The gel content, surface energy, friction coefficient and dynamic mechanical properties of bulk modified fluoro-elastomers and the surface-modified EPDMs were also measured. The resultant properties of the modified EPDM were correlated with the structural alterations. 

Important copolymerizations with Ziegler-Natta catalysts are between hydrocarbon monomers. An example is the reaction of ethylene, propylene, and a non-conjugated diene, such as 5-ethylidene-2-norbornene, to produce the so-called EPDM (ethylene-propylene-diene monomer) elastomers. These products have... 

The elastomer determines most of the physical and chemical characteristics of a rubber compound. Typical elastomers are natural elastomers such as natural rubber (NR), sometimes called crepe, and synthetic elastomers such as butyl (including chlorobutyl and bromobutyl), ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), and styrene butadiene rubber (SBR). A list of commonly used elastomers is shown in Table 2. 

The elastomeric sealing components of the metering valve are particularly critical. In those valves used with CFC propellants, the elastomeric seals have typically been formed from an acrylonitrile/butadiene rubber, which has been cured with sulfur. These rubber seals may not be fully compatible with HFA propellants hence, alternative elastomeric materials have been used. These materials include peroxide-cured acrylonitrile/ butadiene, ethylene-propylene diene monomer (EPDM), and chloroprene and thermoplastic elastomers (TPE). The elastomeric materials used to form the dynamic seals around the stem and the static gasket seal between the can and valve may differ based on the required properties of the rubber for the specific function of the seal. The most important characteristics of the elastomeric seals... 

When ethylene is copolymerized with substantial amounts (>25%) of propylene an elastomeric copolymer is produced, commonly known as ethylene-propylene rubber (EPR) or ethylene-propylene monomer (EPM) rubber. When a diene, such as dicyclopentadiene, is also included, a terpolymer known as ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) rubber is obtained. EPR and EPDM are produced with single site and Ziegler-Natta catalysts and are important in the automotive and construction industries. However, EPR and EPDM are produced in much smaller quantities relative to polyethylene. Elastomers display vastly different properties than other versions of industrial polyethylene and are considered outside the purview of this text. EPR and EPDM will not be discussed further. 

The addition copolymerization of norbornene-type monomers with a-olefins [21] forms the basis of EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) technology. Incorporation of smaU amounts of DCPD or ethylidene norbornene (ENB) in olefinic vinyl addition polymers provides latent crosslink sites in EPDM elastomers. It is weU known in the hterature that incorporation of higher amounts of rigid, bulky multicychc olefins results in materials with higher TgS [22]. In fact, more recent work has concentrated on increasing the Tg of norbornene-type monomer/a-olefin copolymers [23]. The use of late transition metal catalysts to prepare such copolymers is reviewed in Section 4.3. 

Recently there has been considerable work on metal-neutralized sulfonated elastomers (23,24,25). The effect of various monovalent and divalent cations on physical properties of sulfonated ethylene-propylene-diene monomers (EPDM s) has been investigated and large differences have been found in both melt-flow rates and tensile properties, depending on the cation used. 

Recent findings indicated that this drawback can be overcome by using particular reinforcing agents, i.e. graft copolymers obtained by modifying saturated or low-unsaturated elastomers such as ethylene-propylene (EP) or ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) rubbers and acrylic elastomers (9-16). 

Knappe [10] described the use of DMA to check the plasticizer level of polybutadiene/natural rubber blends. DMA can also be used to look at coatings on elastomer parts, an example being a polyurethane coating on an EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) bumper part, where the low temperature storage modulus can be a key to component toughness. 

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