High Molecular Weight EPDM Grade for Enhanced Application Performance

 

 

EPDM rubber continues to be one of the most widely used and fast growing synthetic rubbers. It includes a broad range of technologies, targeting both specialty and general-purpose applications.

 

While EPDM grades polymerized by metallocene catalysts have been commercially available for over 10 years, EPDM rubber grades polymerized by vanadium-based conventional catalyst systems are on the market for over 50 years. Recent developments in polymerization and catalyst technologies through both metallocene and Ziegler Natta platforms provide the ability to design high performance polymers that meet the increasingly difficult application and processing needs of today’s demanding markets and further expand the opportunities available to rubber compounders.

 

These technologies enable the development of new grades with tailored properties as a result of the precise control of the molecular architecture.

 

This paper reviews the performance of a new Vistalon EPDM rubber grade prepared using a Ziegler Natta catalyst system. This new high molecular weight grade offers an improved balance of processing, mechanical, and elastomeric properties in automotive weatherseals, hose, and molded applications.