Novel modification of styrene butadiene rubber/acrylic rubber blends to improve mechanical, dynamic mechanical, and swelling behavior for oil sealing applications

Blending of rubber is an important route to modify properties of individual elastomeric components in order to obtain optimum chemical, physical, and mechanical properties. In this study, a novel modification of styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) is made by employing acrylic rubber (ACM) to obtain blends of outstanding mechanical, dynamic, and oil resistance properties. In order to achieve those properties, we used a unique vulcanizing system that improves the crosslink density between both polymers and enhances the dynamic mechanical properties as well as its resistance to both motor and break oils. Static mechanical measurements, tensile strength, elongation at break, and hardness are improved together with dynamic mechanical properties investigated using dynamic mechanical analyses. We also proposed a mechanism for the improvement of crosslink density and consequently oil resistance properties. This opens new opportunities for using SBR/ACM blends in oil sealing applications that requires rigorous mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties.