Vulcanization of a Butadiene-Styrene Copolymer SBR

Safety precautions Before this experiment is carried out, Sect. 2.2.5 must be read as well as the material safety data sheets (MSDS) for all chemicals and products used. 

Industrially the curing (vulcanization) of diene homopolymers and copolymers with elementary sulfur is carried out in a heated press at 100-140 °C (hot curing) this cannot be done in a normal laboratory on account of the expensive apparatus required. However, the principle of curing can be illustrated by crosslinking a butadiene-styrene copolymer (SBR 1500) with disulfur dichloride (SjCy at room temperature (cold curing)  

For this teaching experiment it is not absolutely necessary to work under nitrogen. 

---