Structure and Density of Crosslinks in Natural-Rubber Vulcanizates. A Combined Analysis by NMR Spectroscopy, Mechanical Measurements, and Rubber-Elastic Theory

Abstract
13C-NMR MAS solid-state spectroscopy and 1H-NMR relaxation measurements have been applied for quantitative determination of crosslink density in sulfur-accelerated NR vulcanizates. It is shown that the 13C-NMR method is able to distinguish between monosulfidic crosslinks and polysulfldic structures; therefore a quantitative determination of chemical crosslinks was possible. An analysis of 13-NMR transversal relaxation measurements provided the network densities which were in good agreement with the results of the 13C-NMR measurements. Comparing stress-strain data with the spectroscopically determined crosslink density of the NR vulcanizates and calculated crosslink densities of peroxide-cured vulcanizates, it is shown that the same relation between low-strain modulus and crosslink density is valid independent of the structure of the vulcanizates. The chemical crosslink density determined by a theoretical approach based on the tube concept was in approximate agreement with the NMR results.

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