Ozone attack chlorosulfonated polyethylene

The polymer requires compounding with normal fillers to produce useful compounds. Chlorosulfonated polyethylene (CSM) excels in resistance to attack by oxygen, ozone, corrosive chemicals, and oil, and in addition has very good electrical properties. Electrical stability and resistance to corona and arc are good. The physical properties and abrasion resistance are also good. Light-colored goods made from CSM have excellent color-fastness. Due to the presence of chlorine atoms, this elastomer shows excellent flame resistance. 

In the presence of light, halogens attack both vulcanised and unvulcanised butyl rubber. Whether vulcanised or unvulcanised the effect of the reaction is to produce rapid deterioration in molecular weight. A strip of butyl vulcanisate suspended in bromine gas degrades rapidly. In a few minutes the specimen becomes fluid enough to drip to the bottom of the vessel. Chlorosulfonated polyethylene is resistant to ozone being better than Neoprene and butyl rubber compounds [18]. 

The natural rubber does not generally exhibit all the desired properties for use in the rubber industry. Thus, it is possible to obtain better mechanical and physical properties at a lower cost by blending natural rubber with synthetic rubbers. Normally, natural rubber is deteriorated by ozone and thermal attacks due to its highly unsaturated backbone, and it also shows low oil and chemical resistances due to its non-polarity. However, these properties can be achieved by blending it with low unsaturated ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, carboxylate styrene butadiene rubber, nitrile butadiene rubber, chloroprene rubber, chlorosulfonated polyethylene rubber, and acrylonitrile butadiene rubber. 

Ethylene acrylic mbber is manufactured by M/s Dupont USA under the trade name of Vamac, and is about half ethylene and half methylacrylate. A small amount of cure site monomer in the molecule provides the ability to cross-link chemically. This rubber is the combination of two major chemicals which give its unique balance of properties. For instance, the backbone structure of the polymer molecule is saturated, and so it is inherently resistant to ozone attack. The acrylic segment provides oil resistance, and the ethylene segment yields low temperature performance. The added feature of this mbber is that there is no halogen present to become corroded. There is slightly more tendency to swell than a homopolymer, such as polyacrylate or acrylonitrile mbber, but it is approximately equal to silicone, chloroprene and Hypolan (chlorosulfonated polyethylene) mbbers. 

Hypalon is a tradename for CSM chlorosulfonated polyethylene. It offers good resistance to moderate chemicals, ozone, alkaline solutions, hydrogen. Freon, alcohols, aliphatic hydrocarbons, as well as ultraviolet degradation from sunrays. Strong oxidizing acids, ketones, esters, acetic acid, and chlorinated and nitro-hydrocarbons attack Hypalon. Its temperature range for applications is from -40°C to 150°C (-40°F to 300°F). Its physical properties are presented in Table 10-16. 

Chlorosulfonated polyethylene rubbers exhibit intrinsic resistance to the attack of oxygen and ozone properly compormded products have excellent weathering resistance. For very severe service conditions (150-180°C), CSM vulcanized with peroxides can be further improved by adding a synergistic combination of... 

---