Strength of Neoprene Compounds and the Effect of Salt Solutions

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Abstract
Soft CR vulcanizates resemble NR vulcanizates in many ways. Their tensile strength is high at low temperatures and drops sharply at a characteristic temperature to a value of about 1–1.5 MPa. Their tear resistance decreases smoothly as the temperature is raised and does not reach a lower limit, even at temperatures as high as 150°C. However, they show continuous tear propagation at room temperature under relatively large tear forces, whereas NR materials do not. This difference must reflect different strengths of the crystallites formed at the tear tip, those in CR being significantly weaker. Also, a specific environmental effect is noted: When immersed in solutions of FeCl3, the CR materials show more rapid tearing, and they tear at significantly lower forces than in water or in NaCl solutions (or in air). Although they swell continuously in water and in salt solutions, the rate of swelling seems far too low to account for the weakening observed. Moreover, the swelling is greater in water, whereas the weakening is specific to FeCl3 solution. It is attributed to a chemical reaction between FeCl3 and the CR molecule.

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