Elastomers hardness

Thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) are either block copolymers (SBS, SEES, SEPS, TPU, COPA, COPE) or blends, such as TPO (elastomer/hard thermoplastic, also referred to as thermoplastic olefin) and TPV (fhermoplastic vul-canizafe, blend of a vulcanized elastomer and a hard fhermoplastic). These types represent the majority of fhe TPEs other types are either specialty or small-volume materials. 

Several types of diisocyanates (aromatic, aliphatic, cyclo aliphatic) and many different glycol-chain extenders (open-chain aliphatic, cyclo aliphatic, aromatic aliphatic) can be used to produce TPU-elastomer hard segments. In the more conventional and practical formulations only a single diisocyanate component is used to make a TPU, so the diisocyanate is common to both the hard and soft segments. The polymer chemist makes his diisocyanate and glycol-chain-extender component selections based on such considerations as desired TPU mechanical properties, upper service temperature, environmental resistance, solubility characteristics, and economics. 

Butadiene/acrylonitrile copolymer elastomer, golf ball thread Polyisoprene elastomer, grommets Butadiene/acrylonitrile copolymer elastomer, hardness/damping compounds Polynorbornene elastomer, hoses Acrylonitrile copolymer elastomer, hydraulic equip. 

The Durometer hardness was measured after the cast elastomers were aged for at least 7 days at 23 °C and 50% relative humidity. The details are given in Table 8.3. From the results, it is evident that as the crystalline hard segment content of the elastomer is decreased, the elastomer hardness also decreases. By analysing the soft and hard segments and their relation to hardness, it appears that the amorphous hard segment behaves like the polyether soft segment. 

These properties are summarised in Table 8.7 and the values are plotted against elastomer hardness and shown in Figure 8.11. 

HER-HP and TG-210 chain extenders produced elastomer hardnesses in excess of 60 Shore D, but the hardness decreased to 48 Shore D for the elastomer extended with TG-... 

By correlating the elastomer hardness with that of other physical and mechanical properties, a clear trend can he seen showing that as the hardness is decreased, the 100% tensile modulus, fracture energy and tear strength values are also decreased. 

Figure 1.2 Thermoplastic elastomers. hard segments, — soft segments.

Non-Black Filler Loading to Increase Shore A by One Point Unfilled Base Elastomer Hardness Shore A24... 

Polyolefins. In these thermoplastic elastomers the hard component is a crystalline polyolefin, such as polyethylene or polypropylene, and the soft portion is composed of ethylene-propylene rubber. Attractive forces between the rubber and resin phases serve as labile cross-links. Some contain a chemically cross-linked rubber phase that imparts a higher degree of elasticity. 

The polymers of the 2-cyanoacryhc esters, more commonly known as the alkyl 2-cyaiioacrylates, are hard glassy resins that exhibit excellent adhesion to a wide variety of materials. The polymers are spontaneously formed when their Hquid precursors or monomers are placed between two closely fitting surfaces. The spontaneous polymerisation of these very reactive Hquids and the excellent adhesion properties of the cured resins combine to make these compounds a unique class of single-component, ambient-temperature-curing adhesives of great versatiUty. The materials that can be bonded mn the gamut from metals, plastics, most elastomers, fabrics, and woods to many ceramics. 

Acrylonitrile (AN), C H N, first became an important polymeric building block in the 1940s. Although it had been discovered in 1893 (1), its unique properties were not realized until the development of nitrile mbbers during World War II (see Elastomers, synthetic, nitrile rubber) and the discovery of solvents for the homopolymer with resultant fiber appHcations (see Fibers, acrylic) for textiles and carbon fibers. As a comonomer, acrylonitrile (qv) contributes hardness, rigidity, solvent and light resistance, gas impermeabiUty, and the abiUty to orient. These properties have led to many copolymer apphcation developments since 1950. 

Hardness. The resistance of a fabricated mbber article to indentation, ie, hardness, is influenced by the amount and shape of its fillers. High loadings increase hardness. Fillers in the form of platelets or flakes, such as clays or mica, impart greater hardness to elastomers than other particle shapes at equivalent loadings. 

International Rubber Hardness. The International mbber hardness test (ASTM D1415) (2) for elastomers is similar to the Rockwell test ia that the measured property is the difference ia penetration of a standard steel ball between minor and major loads. The viscoelastic properties of elastomers require that a load appHcation time, usually 30 seconds, be a part of the test procedure. The hardness number is read directly on a scale of 0 to 100 upon return to the minor load. International mbber hardness numbers are often considered equivalent to Durometer hardness numbers but differences ia iadenters, loads, and test time preclude such a relationship. 

Plastics and Elastomers. Common plastics and elastomers (qv) show exceUent resistance to hydrochloric acid within the temperature limits of the materials. Soft natural mbber compounds have been used for many years as liners for concentrated hydrochloric acid storage tanks up to a temperature of 60°C (see Rubber, natural). SemUiard mbber is used as linings in pipe and equipment at temperatures up to 70°C and hard mbber is used for pipes up to 50°C and pressures up to 345 kPa (50 psig). When contaminants are present, synthetic elastomers such as neoprene, nitrile, butyl. 

At strains over 300% the stress occurs mostiy in the amorphous regions up to the point where the sample breaks. AH of the grades exhibit permanent set, and the curves of grades with a Shore Hardness of 55 and higher exhibit a yield point. This means that parts have to be designed for low strains to stay within the area of elastic recovery. Special grades of elastomer are available to provide hydrolysis resistance (194), improved heat aging (195), and improved uv-stabihty (196). 

Elastomer Specific gravity Hardness, Shore A Tensile strength, MPa" Elongation, % Resihence Compression e set Impermeability e to gases... 

Sulfur is the almost universal, primary vulcanizing agent for all elastomers, whether in latex or dry form. Less sulfur is normally required for latex than for dry mbber compounds. By increasing sulfur concentration to 30—50 parts by weight (30—50 parts/100 parts dry mbber content (DRC)) in latex compound, satisfactory hard mbber articles, particularly mbber—metal coatings, are obtained. 

The more important grades of thermoplastic natural mbber, which fall into the olefinic class of thermoplastic elastomers, are prepared with the natural mbber phase partially cross-linked during blending, a process known as dynamic vulcanization. The hardness of the soft blends is controlled by the natural mbber content, and typical properties of those of 50—90 hardness (Shore A) are shown in Table 7. 

The melt temperature of a polyurethane is important for processibiUty. Melting should occur well below the decomposition temperature. Below the glass-transition temperature the molecular motion is frozen, and the material is only able to undergo small-scale elastic deformations. For amorphous polyurethane elastomers, the T of the soft segment is ca —50 to —60 " C, whereas for the amorphous hard segment, T is in the 20—100°C range. The T and T of the mote common macrodiols used in the manufacture of TPU are Hsted in Table 2. 

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