Rubber ductility

Rubbers are exceptional in behaving reversibly, or almost reversibly, to high strains as we said, almost all materials, when strained by more than about 0.001 (0.1%), do something irreversible and most engineering materials deform plastically to change their shape permanently. If we load a piece of ductile metal (like copper), for example in tension, we get the following relationship between the load and the extension (Fig. 8.4). This can be... 

Moore, D.R., Hooley, C.J. and Whale, M. Ductility factors for thermoplastics. Plastics and Rubber Proc. and Appl. 1(1981) p 121-127. 

Butyl rubber 1.1-1.4 Yes Yes Opaque 2500-3000 300-500 Ductile Special Stoppers/seals... 

Kikuchi Y., Eukui T., Okada T., and Inoue T. Origin of rubber elasticity in thermoplastic elastomers consisting of crossUnked rubber particles and ductile matrix, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., Appl. Polym. Symp., 50, 261, 1992. 

The ductility of GRT-polyethylene blends drastically decreases at ground rubber concentration in excess of 5%. The inclusion of hnely ground nitrile rubber from waste printing rollers into polyvinyl chloride (PVC) caused an increase in the impact properties of the thermoplastic matrix [76]. Addition of rubber powder that is physically modihed by ultrasonic treatment leads to PP-waste ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) powder blends with improved morphology and mechanical properties [77]. 

One of the principal weaknesses of pure polystyrene is its low impact resistance. To counteract this problem, we toughen it with various types of rubber. This is most effective when a portion of the rubber is chemically grafted to the polystyrene. The rubber forms small inclusions within a matrix of polystyrene. The presence of rubber also improves polystyrene s extensibility, ductility, and resistance to environmental stress cracking. 

One could be tempted to overcome the modulus loss in PBT-rubber blends by adding glass or mineral to the rubber-modified blends. While this works to some extent, the effect of the filler or reinforcement is to limit the ductility of the blend. 

Impact modifiers for PET are generally elastomeric compounds that increase impact strength and elongation while usually decreasing modulus. An effective way to enhance the impact strength and to induce a brittle/ductile transition of the fracture mode, is by the dispersion of a rubber phase within the PET matrix. The... 

Bearing Frame. Frames shall be equipped with axial radiating fins extending the length of the frame to aid in heat dissipation. Frame shall be provided with ductile iron outboard bearing housing. Both ends of the frame shall be provided with lip-type oil seals and labyrinth-type deflectors of metallic reinforced synthetic rubber to prevent the entrance of contaminants. 

Chemical pumps are available in a variety of materials. Metal pumps are the most widely used. Although they may be obtained in iron, bronze, and iron with bronze fittings, an increasing number of pumps of ductile-iron, steel, and nickel alloys are being used. Pumps are also available in glass, glass-lined iron, carbon, rubber, rubber-lined metal, ceramics, and a variety of plastics, such units usually being employed for special purposes. 

Asphalt—mbber is mixed and applied to roadways by several techniques. In one method, mbber and asphalt are mixed at ca 175—220°C for one to two hours. The hot mixture is applied to the roadway and covered with a layer of stone chips to form a chip seal. The mbber cmmb consists of scrap tires ground into particles less than 2 mm in diameter. Rubber-modified asphalt is also used for waterproofing membranes, crack-and-joint sealers, hot-mix binders, and roofing materials. The mbber improves asphalt ductility and increases its softening point. The aggregate adhesive bond is stronger, and the asphalt lasts longer. Production of rubber-modified asphalt has increased from 405 t in 1970 to 27,000 t in 1980 (41). Typically, about 2 t of mbber is used for 1 km of roadway. If it is assumed that asphalt—mbber contains ca 25% mbber and 75% asphalt, the potential demand for scrap mbber would be ca 40,500 t/yr, or ca 2% of the amount available. 

Several flexible polymers, such as natural rubber (NR) synthetic rubber (SR) polyalkyl acrylates copolymers of acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene, (ABS) and polyvinyl alkyl ethers, have been used to improve the impact resistance of PS and PVC. PS and copolymers of ethylene and propylene have been used to increase the ductility of polyphenylene oxide (PPO) and nylon 66, respectively. The mechanical properties of several other engineering plastics have been improved by blending them with thermoplastics. 

Thermosets are generally used in advanced composites due to their excellent thermal and dimensional stability, high modulus, and good mechanical properties. Because thermoset resins are inherently brittle, however, some applications require improved fracture resistance. Toughening of thermosets has been achieved through various methods, such as incorporation of reactive liquid rubber [1-9], elastomer [10], or rigid thermoplastics [11-25], and IPN formation with ductile component [26]. 

Impact Modifiers. Notched impact strength and ductility can be improved with the incorporation of impact modifiers, which also can lower the britde— ductile transition temperature and give much improved low temperature toughness. Impact modifiers are rubbers (often olefin copolymers) that are either modified or contain functional groups to make them more compatible with the nylon matrix. Dispersion of the mbber into small (micrometer size) particles is important in order to obtain effective toughening (29). Impact modifiers can be combined with other additives, such as glass fiber and minerals, in order to obtain a particular balance of stiffness and toughness. 

The matrix polymers can be divided into britde or ductile categories, each having specific requirements for achieving toughness (Table 3). Numerous variations are possible. For instance, often rubber particles that vary in both size and kind are desirable for optimum performance. In these cases, the requirements of the rubber phase and the toughening mechanisms are complex. 

STYRENE-MALEIC ANHYDRIDE. A thermoplastic copolymer made by the copolymerization of styrene and maleic anhydride. Two types of polymers are available—impact-modified SMA terpolymer alloys (Cadon ) and SMA copolymers, with and without rubber impact modifiers (Dylark ). These products are distinguished by higher heat resistance than the parent styrenic and ABS families. The MA functionality also provides improved adhesion to glass fiber reinforcement systems. Recent developments include lerpolymer alloy systems with high-speed impact performance and low-temperature ductile fail characteristics required by automotive instrument panel usage. 

The introduction of rubber particles increases the fracture energy of the networks at room temperature, but also decreases the temperature of the ductile-brittle transition (Van der Sanden and Meijer, 1993). This ductile-brittle transition is strongly dependent on the nature (and Tg) of the rubber-rich phase and the amount of rubber dissolved in the matrix. The lowest ductile-brittle transition is obtained with butadiene-based copolymers (Tg — 80°C), compared with butylacrylate copolymers (Tg —40°C). 

Brittleness is found with semi-crystalline polymers below their glass-rubber transition Tg. An example is PP, which becomes brittle at about T -10 °C. PE retains its ductile nature down to very low temperatures. Other polymers have a Tg of some tens of °C above room temperature, such as polyamides and thermoplastic polyesters. Various mechanisms are responsible for a reasonable impact strength at room temperature for polyamides this is, for instance, the absorption of water also secondary transitions in the glassy region may play a role. 

In addition to the polyolefin blends designed for thermoplastic elastomer applications, a great deal of interest also has centered on other kinds of blends of polyolefins as has been reviewed recently (see chapter 21 of Ref. 10 by Plochocki). In a recent paper (84), we showed that blends involving polypropylene-high density polyethylene-low density polyethylene in various proportions and combinations exhibit additivity of tensile strength however, there are serious losses in ductility in some cases such that the blends are less ductile than either pure component. It is interesting to note, however, that these losses in ductility can largely be restored by addition of rather small amounts of an amorphous ethylene-propylene rubber (84). 

---