Mooney scorch value

Mooney viscosity—measure of the resistance of raw or unvulcanized rubber to deformation, as measured in a Mooney viscometer. A steel disc is embedded in a heated rubber specimen and slowly rotated. The resistance to the shearing action of the disc is measured and expressed as a Mooney viscosity value. Viscosity increases with continued rotation, and the time required to produce a specified rise in Mooney viscosity is known as the Mooney scorch value, which is an indication of the tendency of a rubber mixture to cure, or vulcanize, prematurely during processing. 

The name Mooney is often used in referring to the value obtained on the Mooney viscometer. Mooney Scorch Test... 

In all the above methods, it is necessary to cure specimens of test samples for each of a series of curing times and then perform the desired test on the vulcanizate. However, in the test for continuous measurement of vulcanization complete information could be obtained with saving in time. The mooney viscometer test approaches this objective. However a weakness of the mooney viscometer test is that the test is completed before a measurable modulus value after the scorch point has been obtained. This is because the test sample is destroyed after the induction period is passed due to tearing by continuous rotation of the rotor whether small or large. To overcome this deficiency and to provide a total cure curve for the entire vulcanization cycle, a series of instruments called cure meters was developed. In each of these instruments the stiffness or modulus of the compound was chosen as parameters for vulcanization continuously. The Vulkameter developed by Bayers, Germany was the first of the cure meters developed. 

The Mooney viscometer offers a more convenient way of measuring scorch and even rate of cure, and a standard method for scorch is given in ISO 289-238 and the BS and ASTM equivalents39 40, as mentioned in Section 3.3 of this chapter. This is essentially the method of ISO 289-1 continued until the viscosity reaches a specified number of Mooney units above its minimum value, either 5 or 3 units depending on whether the large or small rotor is used. The minimum viscosity and the time to reach 5 or 3 units above minimum viscosity are reported. In earlier versions of this test the difference between times to 5 units and 35 units above minimum viscosity was taken as an indication of the rate of cure, but this measure of cure rate is now been superceded. 

T5 The scorch time at lower temperature is of importance too. This can be obtained by using a Mooney Viscometer at lower temperature. A Mooney Viscometer is also used to measure the viscosity of the compounds (important for dictating injection-moulding behaviour). The viscometer is also used to assess the tendency to scorch, and sometimes the rate of cure of a compound. A useful estimate of scorch behaviour is represented by T5, the time taken from the beginning of the warm-up period to that at which the Mooney value rises five units above the minimum value. 

A range of thiuram secondary accelerators is evaluated in an ENB-based EPDM compound and in a new technology EPDM compound. The recipes used are fairly basic, utilising CV and EV vulcanisation systems. The rheology is tested on an MDR rheometer and the compound viscosity and scorch tested on a Mooney viscometer. Stress-strain properties are established after cure at 160 deg.C and after ageing at 100 deg.C. In addition, tear properties and compression set values at various temperatures are determined. The observed... 

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