Processability Measurements for Improved Characterization of Synthetic Elastomers By Dynamic Oscillatory Shear and Rotating Shear Viscometers

The base elastomer(s) of a rubber compound has a great effect on every step of the rubber manufacturing process from the mixing operation to the final product performance. Historically, the Mooney viscosity has been the value specified for raw elastomers in order to ensure polymer consistency. In this study, a variety of elastomers were tested on both dynamic oscillatory shear and rotating shear viscometers. The viscoelastic properties pertaining to the processability of the elastomers were measured and analyzed. Comparisons were made between the two methods with respect to polymer characterization and test sensitivity.