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Influence of Coagents on Ageing Properties of Elastomers
J. Lally, S. Schauhoff
Evonik Industries AG, Rodenbacher Chaussee 4, 63457 Hanau, Germany
Joe.lally@evonik.com, stephanie.schauhoff@evonik.com
Abstract
Peroxide cured elastomer materials are used in a variety of different applications with
steadily increasing requirements for temperature stability and aging resistance like e.g.
pipes and hoses in automotive applications or materials for sealing solutions. The aging
resistance includes thermal and oxidation stability as well as chemical resistance and
can typically be observed by mechanical properties, compression set and discoloration.
The aging processes are free radical reaction processes initiated by light and/ or
temperature in the presence of oxygen leading to chain scissions and/or competing post
crosslinking reactions in the beginning and chain degradation only in a later stage,
finally, causing failures of the products.
In this study the aging of peroxide cured EPDM materials was investigated using DSC,
chemoluminescence, ATR-FT-IR techniques as well as mechanical aging tests. The
main focus of the investigation was the influence of the coagents TAC and TAICROS on
the aging properties.