Chloroprene Rubber

015 October 1998

THERMAX MEDIUM THERMAL CARBON BLACK N990 IN CHLOROPRENE RUBBER Thermax medium thermal carbon black N990 is manufactured by the thermal decomposition of natural gas. The thermal process provides a unique carbon black characterized by a large particle size and low structure. Thermax is widely used in applications that require excellent dynamic properties and chemical resistance. The large particle size (low surface area) and low structure allow for low compression set, high rebound and low hysteresis, thereby maintaining the inherent elastomeric properties of the rubber compound. As a non-reinforcing black, thermal black is often blended with furnace carbon blacks and/or mineral fillers to achieve cost reduction and specific physical properties in the rubber compound. The typical properties of Thermax are listed in Table 1. Table 1: Typical Properties of Thermax Floform N990 Nitrogen Surface Area, m2/g DBP Absorption, cc/100 g pH Ash Content (%) Sieve Residue, 325 mesh, ppm Sieve Residue, Magnetics 325 mesh, ppm Fines Content (%) Pour Density g/l Pellet Hardness, grams Heat Loss (%) Thermax N990 9.8 38 9.5 0.1 5 0 4.0 640 20 0.0

The effects of carbon blacks and mineral fillers on the processing and vulcanizate properties of polychloroprene are generally similar to their effects on other elastomers. Like natural rubber and other polymers with pronounced crystallization tendencies, polychloroprene gum vulcanizates have high tensile strength. The need for reinforcement, therefore, is less than for such elastomers as SBR, butyl rubber and nitrile rubber. Practical vulcanizates are obtained for the majority of uses by filling with the soft, relatively non-reinforcing thermal type carbon black. Thermal blacks afford extra economy because they can be added in greater amounts than reinforcing fillers for a given hardness.1 Table 2 provides a comparison of Thermax N990 with other carbon blacks at equal hardness.
1

Graff, R.S., Neoprene and Hypalon, in Maurice Morton, ed., Rubber Technology, 3rd edition, 1995, p. 348

Table 2: Thermax N990 Compared to Other Carbon Blacks at Equal Hardness Compound Neoprene W Vanfre AP-2 Processing Aid Stearic Acid Maglite D, Calcined MgO Agerite Stalite S Antioxidant Plastogen Zinc Oxide Vanax NP Accelerator Thermax Floform N990 SRF N770 GPF N660 FEF N550 HAF N330 Total Press Cures @ 153C, 20 minutes 200% Modulus, MPa Tensile Strength, MPa Elongation (%) Hardness Compression Set* (%) Mooney Scorch @ 121C, t5, min
*ASTM Method B, 22 hours @ 100C

1 100 2 0.5 4 2 5 5 1 50

2 100 2 0.5 4 2 5 5 1 25

3 100 2 0.5 4 2 5 5 1

4 100 2 0.5 4 2 5 5 1

5 100 2 0.5 4 2 5 5 1

25 25 25 169.5 144.5 144.5 144.5 144.5

2.28 14.41 700 52 29 9

2.00 16.07 610 47 33 11

3.17 16.69 550 51 32 12

3.52 17.17 550 53 31 12

3.10 18.83 530 52 30 8

Thermax N990 can be used at a wide range of loadings in polychloroprene rubber. The following data demonstrates the effect of various loadings in Neoprene W, using the formulation given above. The data was selected from The Vanderbilt Rubber Handbook, thirteenth edition, p. 469. Table 3: Effects of Various Loadings of Thermax N990 in Neoprene W Thermax N990, phr 300 % Modulus, MPa Tensile Strength, MPa Elongation (%) Hardness, Shore A Tear Resistance, kN/m Compression Set (%) Mooney, 121C, t5/ML 25 1.4 14.6 780 45 51.9 27 11/30 50 2.3 14.4 700 52 55.4 29 9/39 75 3.4 12.7 530 57 51.0 31 9/44 100 5.9 12.4 430 62 43.0 30 8/55 125 8.2 11.9 330 71 37.8 30 6/67

50 phr of Thermax N990 in Neoprene W The following data demonstrates the physical properties provided to a Neoprene W compound with a loading of 50 phr of Thermax N990. The data is based on the same formulation as shown in Table 2, as provided in The Vanderbilt Handbook, p. 469. Compound mixing/analysis were performed at the BFGoodrich Laboratory in Akron, Ohio. Mixing Procedure The compound was mixed in a two-step process. The first pass was mixed in a BR size Banbury. The second pass was mixed on a lab mill where zinc oxide and Vanax CPA were added. Samples were prepared and cured using standard laboratory procedures. Sheets were cured 20 minutes @ 150C. Pellets were cured 25 minutes @ 150C.
Properties Mooney Scorch t5 (min) Oscillating Disk Rheometer @ 150C Tmin (N/m) Tmax (N/m) ts1 (min) tc50 (min) tc90 (min) Cure Rate Index Tear Strength, Die B, (kgf/cm) Tensile Properties - Original Stress @ 300% (MPa) Stress @ Break (MPa) Elongation @ Break (%) Hardness, Shore A Tensile Properties, oven aged 48 hours @ 100C Stress @ 300% (MPa) Stress @ Break (MPa) Elongation @ Break (%) Hardness, Shore A Tensile Properties, water aged 7 days @ RT Stress @ 300% (MPa) Stress @ Break (MPa) Elongation @ Break (%) Hardness, Shore A Tensile Properties, salt water aged 7 days @ RT Stress @ 300% (MPa) Stress @ Break (MPa) Strain @ Break (%) Hardness, Shore A Compression Set, Method B 22 hours @ 100C (%) 50 phr Thermax N990 18.75

0.62 2.83 4.61 10.63 22.71 5.53 65.8

7.21 18.32 594 56

8.77 17.29 540 60

7.6 18.69 582 57

7.37 18.23 577 57

39.4

Compounding Baypren Polychloroprene Rubber for Equal Hardness - 50 MT-N990 50 25 1.280 SRF-N774 50 14 1.320 FEF-N550 50 12 1.325 HAF-N330 50 10 1.340 ISAF-N220 50 11 1.315

Shore A Hardness Carbon Black, pbw Density g/cm3

Vulcanizate Properties, Press Cure @ 150C, 30 minutes, 4 mm thick ring per DIN 53 504 Tensile Strength, MPa 13 16 18 19 18.5 Elongation @ Break (%) 710 650 620 665 635 300% Modulus, MPa 3 4.2 4.3 3.2 3.5 500% Modulus, MPa 8.5 10.6 11.8 10.3 11.3 Rebound Resilience (%) 53 55 55 53 52 Tear Resistance, N Set @ Break after 1 min. (%) DIN Abrasion Loss, mm3 Compression Set, ASTM Method B 22 hours @ 70C 70 hours @ 100C 8 9 130 10 8 118 9 6 95 8 6 82 8 6 96

15 36

16 34

16 38

15 37

14 37

Formulation Baypren 210 Magnesium Oxide Stearic Acid Vulkanox PAN antioxidant Paraffin Wax Carbon Black Active Zinc Oxide Vulkacit NPV/C 100 4 Maglite D 1 2 (Vulkanox OCD) 0.6 50 5 0.6 (Rhenogran ETU 80)

Plasticizers were not used in this study in order to highlight the effect of the carbon black. Source: Bayer Technical Information tib, Rubber Business Group, KA-FK-0170e, 1997

Compounding Baypren Polychloroprene Rubber for Equal Hardness - 80 MT-N990 80 135 1.560 SRF-N774 80 68 1.440 FEF-N550 80 56 1.425 HAF-N330 80 52 1.430 ISAF-N220 80 50 1.420

Shore A Hardness Carbon Black, pbw Density g/cm3

Vulcanizate Properties, Press Cure @ 150C, 30 minutes, 4 mm thick ring per DIN 53 504 Tensile Strength, MPa 14 18.5 20 20 22 Elongation @ Break (%) 230 210 200 215 230 300% Modulus, MPa 500% Modulus, MPa Rebound Resilience (%) 32 37 36 33 31 Tear Resistance, N Set @ Break after 1 min. (%) DIN Abrasion Loss, mm3 Compression Set, ASTM Method B 22 hours @ 70C 70 hours @ 100C 14 3 183 18 4 87 15 3 66 14 4 67 18 5 72

16 37

17 36

14 39

15 37

16 35

Formulation Baypren 210 Magnesium Oxide Stearic Acid Vulkanox PAN antioxidant Paraffin Wax Carbon Black Active Zinc Oxide Vulkacit NPV/C 100 4 Maglite D 1 2 (Vulkanox OCD) 0.6 50 5 0.6 (Rhenogran ETU 80)

Plasticizers were not used in this study in order to highlight the effect of the carbon black. Source: Bayer Technical Information tib, Rubber Business Group, KA-FK-0170e, 1997