Nitrile rubber epoxy

Applications of NBR adhesives can be divided in three groups (1) solely nitrile rubber (2) nitrile rubber/phenolic blends (3) nitrile rubber/epoxy blends. 

Elastomers, plastics, fabrics, wood and metals can be joined with themselves and with each other using nitrile rubber/epoxy resin blends cured with amines and/or acidic agents. Ethylene-propylene vulcanizates can also be joined using blends of carboxylated nitrile rubber, epoxy resin and a reactive metal filler (copper, nickel, cobalt). However, one of the largest areas of use of nitrile rubber modified epoxy systems is in the printed circuit board area [12]. 

Under these conditions, the nitrile rubber/epoxy adduct, instead of having a distinct separated phase, is incorporated into the polyurethane microstructuie, resulting in the formation of a novel non-continuous microphase that has a bimodal distribution. 

Nitrile polymers have found a varied number of applications in the adhesive area. These applications are based on the excellent elastomeric properties of the polymer coupled with its polarity which gives the material good solvent resistance and compatibility with other polar materials. The various commercially available physical forms of nitrile polymers (slab rubber, crumb rubber, liquid rubber and latex) have also increased the ease of processing of the material and broadened the application base. In an attempt to review this broad area, the applications have been subdivided into three parts. In the first section applications involving solely nitrile rubber as the base polymer as well as miscellaneous nitrile rubber blends are reviewed. Due to the large number of applications involved, nitrile rubber/pheno-lic blends have been separated into the second section. For the same reason, nitrile rubber/ epoxy blends are covered separately in the third section. 

An adhesive consisting of an epoxy resin, a medium high acrylonitrile rubber, and Pb, Cu, Ni, Pd or Co compound fillers was used to bond EPDM vulcanizates. Peel strengths of 22.5 kg/20 mm after a 1 hour at 100 C cure were obtained. Another adhesive composition involving a blend of carboxylated nitrile rubber, epoxy resin and a reactive metal filler has been described for bonding EPDM vulcanizates or EPDM rubber-nitrile or butyl rubber blends. 

Other nitrile rubber epoxy adhesives have been described for rubber to rubber and rubber to metal bonds. Liquid carboxylated nitrile materials have been found useful in a number of applications. An adhesive comprised of carboxylated nitrile rubber, epoxy resins, imidazole, or tertiary amine and an organic peroxide has been described for bonding metals, paper, plastics, and inorganic materials. 

Nitrile rubber is compatible with phenol-formaldehyde resins, resorcinol-formaldehyde resins, vinyl chloride resins, alkyd resins, coumarone-indene resins, chlorinated rubber, epoxies and other resins, forming compositions which can be cured providing excellent adhesives of high strength, high oil resistance and high resilience. On the other hand, NBR adhesives are compatible with polar adherends such as fibres, textiles, paper and wood. Specific formulations of NBR adhesives can be found in [12]. 

Flexibilized epoxy resins are important structural adhesives [69]. Liquid functionally terminated nitrile rubbers are excellent flexibilizing agents for epoxy resins. This liquid nitrile rubber can be reacted into the epoxy matrix if it contains carboxylated terminated functionalities or by adding an amine terminated rubber. The main effects produced by addition of liquid nitrile rubber in epoxy formulations is the increase in T-peel strength and in low-temperature lap shear strength, without reducing the elevated temperature lap shear. 

In addition to epoxy-phenolic adhesives three-part epoxy-phenolic-nitrile rubber systems are used in metal-metal edge joints and honeycomb constructions [208], These add toughness not available in most EP systems and improve peel strengths. When used on honeycomb, the NR-P is normally applied to the aluminum skin and the EP to the honeycomb for assembly. Service temperature limitations are those imposed by the NR-P part. 

The liquid nitrile rubbers are generally used as nonvolatile and nonextractable plasticizers. They also function as binders and modifiers for epoxy resins. Their moderate heat resistance limits their ability to meet industrial requirements. Hence, attempts have been made to improve their thermal and oxidative resistance by saturating the polymer backbone. 

The EVAs make it possible to produce compounds with high filler levels and are compatible with many elastomers, plastics and other materials SBR, butyl rubber, EPDM, nitrile rubber, Hypalon, thermoplastic elastomers, epoxies, PVC, PVDC, bitumen. 

In essence, the durability of metal/adhesive joints is governed primarily by the combination of substrate, surface preparation, environmental exposure and choice of adhesive. As stated earlier, the choice of the two-part nitrile rubber modified epoxy system (Hughes Chem - PPG) was a fixed variable, meeting the requirement of initial joint strength and cure cycle and was not, at this time, examined as a reason for joint failure. Durability, as influenced by substrate, surface preparation, and environmental exposure were examined in this study using results obtained from accelerated exposure of single lap shear adhesive joints. 

Block copolymers based on nitrile rubber and on epoxy and phenolic resins and on polystyrene (50-54) have been intensively studied in Russia The generated block copolymers were investigated by turbidimetric and IR methods. Thermomechanical experiments were also run on fractions. As may be seen from Fig 13, fractions which combine the properties of the polymers (Curves 2,3, and 4) were obtained together with fractions characteristic of the raw rubber (Curve 1) and of the resin (Curve 5). The copolymer is soluble in solvents which are typical for both components. Solubility studies on the products showed that for any given ratio of the original components, 15 to 20% of the resin combines with the rubber. The properties of the block copolymer, however, depend on the initial ratio of components nitrile rubber confers elasticity and the phenolic resin processability. 

Akutin (52) performed an exhaustive study on the influence of processing conditions and the nitrile rubber/poly(vinyl chloride) ratio on the mechanical characteristic of the product. The experiments were carried out in a Brabender Plastograph at 160-180° C and rotor speed of 10-50 rpm. The polyfvinyl chloride) molecular weight was 83500. A resin with an epoxy group content of 20.75% was added to the blend as plasticizer and stabilizer. Figure 29 shows that the... 

Fig, 29. Dependence of the impact strength of the composition poly(vinyl chloride), epoxy resin, nitrile rubber on rubber content. 1 0% of SKN18M 2 5% of SKN18M 3 10% of... 

This section focuses on the modification of epoxy resins by blending with acrylonitrile butadiene (nitrile) resins. These are true alloyed blends since the nitrile rubber usually contains no groups that are normally reactive with epoxy groups. The nitrile molecules and the epoxy molecules intermingle as a blend to provide a single-phase alloy. If a large elastomer concentration is used, no phase separation will occur to form precipitates. 

TABLE 7.3 Comparison of Bond Strengths of Epoxy Adhesive Formulations with and without Nitrile Rubber Addition1... 

Plasticizer migration from the vinyl part into the adhesive bond line can degrade the strength of the joint. Adhesives must be tested for their ability to resist the plasticizer. PVC can be made with a variety of plasticizers. An adhesive suitable for a certain flexible PVC formulation may not be compatible with a PVC from another supplier. Nitrile rubber adhesives have been found to be very resistant to plasticizers and are often the preferred adhesive for flexible PVC films. However, certain epoxy adhesive formulations have also been found to provide excellent adhesion to flexible PVC substrates. Several such starting formulations are presented in Table 16.7. A comparison of the performance of several classes of adhesive when bonding PVC to itself and to various other materials is given in Table 16.15. 

Polyester Adhesives used include neoprene or nitrile-phenolic, epoxy, epoxy-polyamide, phenolic-epoxies, polyesters, modified acrylics, cyanoacrylates, polyurethanes, butyl rubber, polyisobutylene, neoprene, and polymethylmethacrylate (1). 

Urea-Formaldehyde Adhesives used are epoxies, nitrile-phenolics, phenol-formaldehyde, resorcinol-formaldehyde, furan, polyesters, butadiene-nitrile rubber, neoprene, cyanoacrylate, and phenolic-polyvinyl butyral (1). 

Chemical reaction depends on the presence of reactive substrates and on the probability of their encounters. Thus, the possibilities of reactions can be numerous. The literature describes reactions of OH groups on the surface of kaolin with isocyanates, vulcanization of nitrile rubber by ZnO, reactions of carboxyl groups on the filler surface with amines and epoxy groups, reactions of carboxyl groups with diols," and many others.The presence of a reactant on the surface of a material particle increases the probability of chemical reaction. Other factors include statistical probabilities, surface barriers which affect contact, dilution factors, molecular mobility, and viscosity changes in the system. These are discussed in other sections of this book. 

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