Effect of ultraviolet stabilizers on rubber-based automotive sealing profiles

Abstract

The sealing profiles for many visibleand invisible automotive applications such as doors, windows, hoods and trunksare made of synthetic ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber. Thiscombination of ethylene, propylene and unsaturated diene molecules exhibitshigh mechanical properties and forms a water-proof structure. With the progress of time, color change,cracking and staining can be observed on the surface of the sealing profilesused on the visible regions exposed to the sun due to the effect ofhigh-intensity ultraviolet (UV) radiation and sunlight. The aim of this studywas to investigate the effect of the UV stabilizers widely used in the plasticsindustry on the UV resistance of EPDM rubber. UV stabilizers protect thepolymers against to UV radiation by reacting with the free radicals that areformed when a high energy UV photon causes a chemical bond in the polymer tobreak or by absorbing potentially destructive UV radiation. Plates of EPDMrubber were prepared by adding different types of UV stabilizers at differentrates to an available EPDM formula. The effects of the UV stabilizers on theEPDM plates were measured by mechanical tests and the internationallyrecognized Florida outdoor aging test with climate conditions of high-intensitysunlight, high-intensity UV, and high temperature and humidity levels.

Keywords

• epdm
• uv
• uv stabilizatörler
• epdm
• uv
• uv stabilizers