The Nature of Structural Changes of Butadiene Rubbers Caused by High Temperatures (100–200° C)
Abstract In theories developed by Kuzminskii˘ and his collaborators concerning the mechanism of oxidation of rubbers, the question of a direct thermal effect on their structure was not discussed. Nevertheless, with certain rubbers, structural changes which are caused by high temperatures play a very important part in the total complex of structural changes undergone by these rubbers during processing and, after vulcanization, by their products during service. Dogadkin, Zayonchkovskii˘, Zayonchkovskaya, Pisarenko, and Astafyez, Kuzminskii˘, Shanin, Degteva, Lapteva, and other Soviet investigators have shown that, when butadiene rubbers are heated in the temperature range of 100–200° C, structural changes take place which are characterized by increases of tensile strength and modulus, decrease of extensibility, decrease of unsaturation, etc. The question of the causes of such extensive changes in rubber is the subject of this discussion. Rebinder has proven unsubstantiated the reasoning of several investigators regarding these processes, and has shown the necessity of carrying out direct experiments which would provide an explanation of their nature.