Study of Processing Via Gamma Rays and Further Shear for Bromobutyl Rubber Reciclyng

Polymeric materials (plastics and rubber) have been contributing in a continuously and raising way for the generation of litter and industrial wastes discarded in landfills.  The implementation of new technologies for the reduction of polymeric materials, acceptable from the environmental viewpoint and at an effective cost, proved to be a great problem, due to complexities inherent for the re-use, especially of rubbers. Gamma ionizing radiation has capacity for changing structure and properties of polymeric materials and can be applied to almost all types of polymers; irradiation is an expectation for problem-solving of rubber wastes management that can be utilized as raw-materials or chemical additives. Bromobutyl rubber has excellent mechanical properties and oxidation resistance, as well as low gas and water vapor permeability. At the initial stage of irradiation the degradation of Bromobutyl rubber occurs predominantly via random chain-scission and chain-crosslinking may occur caused from the isoprene copolymerized units. This work aims to the introduction of a new recovery technique for bromobutyl rubber, by using processing via gamma-rays followed by shear. 5 kGy, 15 kGy, 25 kGy, 50 kGy, 100 KGy, 150 kGy and 200 KGy doses were used, in order to study the feasibility of butyl rubber for recycling. Doses within 5 to 25 kGy applied to bromobutyl rubber and further shear pointed toward a less degraded material, indicating that this type of elastomer is able to be incorporated to a new rubber compound and replacing some parts of pristine rubber in formulations without imparting great losses in physical-chemical properties.