Effect of linear low-density polyethylene on the properties of elastomeric materials based on synthetic polyisoprene

Abstract

The work examines the influence of linear low-density polyethylene on the basic technological, physical-mechanical and fatigue properties of elastomeric materials based on synthetic isoprene rubber of the SKI-3 brand. Synthetic polyisoprene rubber of SKI-3 brand manufactured by LLC “Togliattikauchuk” was used as synthetic polyisoprene rubber, and LLDPE 218 BJ manufactured by SABIC was used as linear low-density polyethylene. Rubber blends were made in a Haake PolyLab rubber mixer for 9 minutes with further introduction of sulfur on rollers for 1.5 minutes. It was found that the introduction of linear low-density polyethylene into the rubber mixture leads to a significant increase in green strength (up to the level of natural rubber and even higher). It has also been established that LLDPE increases the Mooney viscosity of the rubber compound, the stress at 100% and 300% elongation and increases the residual elongation after rupture of the vulcanizates, but has virtually no effect on the vulcanization process of the rubber compound and has an insignificant effect on the tensile strength. The fatigue characteristics of vulcanizates containing LLDPE up to 7 wt% are at the level of the vulcanizate based on natural rubber. It has been shown that the combination of synthetic polyisoprene brand SKI-3 with linear low-density polyethylene LLDPE 218 BJ at a component ratio of 93/7 allows obtaining an elastomeric material approaching the elastomeric material based on natural rubber RRS1 in key indicators (first of all, in terms of green strength).

Keywords

• synthetic polyisoprene
• natural rubber
• green strength
• polymer blends, linear low-density polyethylene