Mechanism of Rubber Vulcanization with Sulfur

THAT vulcanization of rubber with sulfur always involves a chemical reaction consisting in the addition of sulfur to the double bonds of the rubber molecule has been conclusively established (18, 28). The facts indicate that this addition of sulfur to rubber is an irreversible reaction (31). The temperature coefficient of the reaction is high, increasing about 2.65 fold per 10° C. at ordinary curing temperatures (31). Furthermore, the reaction is apparently exothermic (4, 24). It is noteworthy that catalysts are apparently necessary, since synthetic rubbers prepared from pure materials add sulfur slowly, if at all. The proteins and perhaps the resins in natural rubber undoubtedly serve as accelerators. The curves for combined sulfur vs. time of cure for typical mixes are shown in Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is taken from the data of Kratz and Flower (16); the composition and temperature of cure for this mix are shown in Cranor's Table I (9). Figure 2, curve 1, is from Table I of Eaton and Day (10), and curve 2 from data obtained in this laboratory (27, Table I). Superficial inspection of these curves shows extraordinary divergence of type. Figure 1 is a typical fadeaway curve, characteristic of most chemical reactions, where the reaction rate decreases with decreasing concentration of the reacting materials. Curve 1, Figure 2, is an entirely different type, where the rate of sulfur addition is constant until nearly 70 per cent of the initial sulfur has reacted. Curve 2, Figure 2, shows even more complex behavior. Again the rate is constant in the initial portions of the cure. However, following this period, the rate increases markedly but later falls off, approaching zero, to give an S-shaped eurve.