Abstract
As a complement to earlier investigations, and in order to examine more closely the connection between the chemical kinetics and the changes with vulcanization time of the physical properties in the case of vulcanization reactions, we used thiuram vulcanizations as an example, and concerned ourselves with the dependence of stress values (moduli) at different degrees of elongation and different vulcanization temperatures. We found: 1. Stress values attain a limiting value, dependent on the degree of elongation, but independent of the vulcanization temperature at constant elongation. 2. The rise in stress values with the vulcanization time is characterized by an initial delay, which, however, is practically nonexistent at higher temperatures. 3. The kinetics of the increase in stress values with vulcanization time are both qualitatively and quantitatively in accord with the dependence of the reciprocal equilibrium swelling on the vulcanization time; both processes, after a retardation, go according to the first order law and at the same rate. 4. From the temperature dependence of the rate constants of reciprocal equilibrium swelling, as well as of the increase in stress, an activation energy of 22 kcal/mole can be calculated, in good agreement with the activation energy of dithiocarbamate formation in thiuram vulcanizations.
