Evaluation of Some Conducting Polymers as Novel Antioxidants for Rubber Vulcanizates

Abstract

Natural rubber (NR) and styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) formulations containing polyaromatic and polyheterocyclic amine homopolymers and copolymers were prepared. The studied homopolymers named polythiophene (PT), poly(o-phenylene diamine) (Po-PDA) and copolymers named poly(aniline-co-m-toluidine) (PAn-co-mT), poly(aniline-co-o-phenylene diamine) (PAn-co-o-PDA), poly(aniline-co-thiophene) (PAn-co-T), poly(aniline-co-2-amino pyridine) (PAn-co-2APy), and poly(2-amino pyridine-co-o-phenylene diamine) (P2APy-co-o-PDA) have been prepared and characterized. The rheological characteristics and physicomechanical properties of the compounded rubber mixes and vulcanizates were investigated and determined. The effects of the prepared polymers on the ageing characteristics of corresponding vulcanizates were evaluated. It was found that the prepared polymers have shown better antioxidant efficiency than the conventional antioxidants phenyl β naphthyl amine (PβN) and the polymerized-2,2,4-trimethyl-1,2-dihydroquinoline (TMQ) industrially used in addition to their safety and ecofriendliness to the environment.