Using Dithiodicaprolactam Accelerator to Reduce Reversion and Improve Heat Aging Properties in Natural Rubber, Polybutadiene and Other Unsaturated Polymers
Under hood and other high performance applications have caused the replacement of traditional unsaturated polymers with higher temperature resistance saturated polymers. Many times these saturated polymers do not have the dynamic strength to meet the mechanical aspects of the performance requirements. Now compounders and engineers would like to return to the unsaturated polymers but need help in improving the reversion and temperature resistance so that these more traditional polymers can meet all of the performance requirements of these applications. Dithiodicaprolactam is a sulfur donor type accelerator that can be used to develop efficient or semi-efficient vulcanization cure systems capable of meeting these requirements. This paper will show examples of how Dithiodicaprolactam cure systems can improve the reversion resistance and heat aging of unsaturated polymers like natural rubber and other unsaturated polymers.