Effect of anhydride‐modified ethylene–propylene–diene rubber and ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymers on the compatibilization of nitrile rubber/ethylene–propylene–diene rubber blends

The effects of maleic anhydride modified ethylene–propylene–diene rubber (EPDMMA) and maleic anhydride modified ethylene–vinyl acetate (EVAMA) on the compatibilization of nitrile rubber (NBR)/ethylene–propylene–diene rubber (70:30 w/w) blends vulcanized with a sulfur system were investigated. The presence of EPDMMA and EVAMA resulted in improvements of the tensile properties, whereas no substantial change was detected in the degree of crosslinking. The blend systems were also analyzed with scanning electron microscopy and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis. The presence of EVAMA resulted in a blend with a more homogeneous morphology. The compatibilizing effect of this functional copolymer was also detected with dynamic mechanical analysis. A shift of the glass‐transition temperature of the NBR phase toward lower values was observed. The presence of EPDMMA and EVAMA also increased the thermal stability, as indicated by an improvement in the retention of the mechanical properties after aging in an air‐circulating oven. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 2408–2414, 2003     

Polyisoprene,poly(styrene‐cobutadiene) and their blends. III. Tensile properties of tetramethylthiuram disulfide/sulfur and 2‐bisbenzothiazole‐2,2'‐ disulfide/sulfur compounds

Polyisoprene (IR), poly(styrene‐cobutadiene) (SBR) and IR/SBR blends were vulcanized with tetramethylthiuram disulfide (TMTD)/sulfur and 2‐bisbenzothiazole‐2,2′‐disulfide (MBTS)/sulfur formulations and their tensile properties were determined. MBTS vulcanized IR has inferior tensile properties to TMTD vulcanizates. This is attributed in part to main chain modification in MBTS vulcanizates decreasing the ability of chains to crystallize or to align as effective load‐bearing chains under stress. A similar discrepancy is not found in SBR compounds that cannot stress‐crystallize. Polybutadiene, which readily crystallizes on cooling, is used to demonstrate differences in the effect of MBTS and TMTD on the ability of chains in the vulcanizates to align. These differences are confirmed by X‐ray diffraction studies of stressed IR vulcanizates. The addition of zinc stearate reduces main chain modification, promotes crystallization, and improves tensile properties. Blends have inferior properties to IR, and tests involving the pulling apart of laminates and analysis of the tear surfaces are used to illustrate that failure does not occur in adhesion, but within the IR phase close to the interface. It is argued that diffusion of curatives from SBR to the faster curing IR phase, leads to the development of a layer of highly crosslinked material in IR close to the phase boundary. Failure occurs in this layer and may be attributed to a decrease in the number of effective load‐bearing chains in this region or to the shorter chains in this layer becoming taut. Less diffusion of the accelerator occurs with MBTS than with TMTD, leading to a less highly crosslinked IR zone close to the interface. Consequently, higher loads are required to initiate failure. Failure in blends is likewise considered to initiate in the highly crosslinked region in the IR phase close to the phase boundary with SBR. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 74: 2143–2149, 1999     

Effect of carboxylic acids on 2‐bisbenzothiazole‐2,2′‐disulfide‐ and tetramethylthiuram disulfide‐accelerated sulfur vulcanization. II. Vulcanization of polyisoprene in the absence of ZnO

Polyisoprene was vulcanized by 2‐bisbenzothiazole‐2,2′‐disulfide (MBTS)/sulfur and tetramethylthiuram disulfide (TMTD)/sulfur in the absence and presence of benzoic and stearic acids. It was found that the crosslink density of MBTS vulcanizates is halved by the addition of carboxylic acids and this can be explained in terms of the attack of the acids on the accelerator polysulfides. TMTD polysulfides are more reactive toward polyisoprene than are MBTS polysulfides, and their addition to the polymer chain occurs before significant attack by the carboxylic acids can reduce the polysulfide concentration. Consequently, the acids have little effect on the crosslink density of TMTD vulcanizates. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 72: 1007–1012, 1999     

氯化聚乙烯对三元乙丙橡胶与丁腈橡胶并用胶物理机械性能的影响

研究了氯化聚乙烯对EPDM／NBR并用胶物理机械性能的影响。结果发现，加入氯化聚乙烯后，并用胶的混合平衡扭矩降低，达到平衡扭矩所需的时间缩短，且无论用硫黄硫化还是用过氧化物硫化，硫化胶的物理机械性能都提高，表明氯化聚乙烯对EPDM／NBR并用胶有一定的增容作用。同时也发现用过氧化物硫化的EPDM／NBR并用胶物理机械性能优于硫黄硫化的并用胶物理机械性能。     

EVA对三元乙丙橡胶与丁腈橡胶并用胶力学性能的影响

研究了乙烯－醋酸乙烯酯共聚物（EVA0对EPDM／NBR并用胶力学性能的影响。从实验结果来看，加入EVA后，并用胶的混合平衡扭矩降低，达到平衡扭矩所需的时间缩短，且无论用硫磺硫化还是用过氧化物硫化，硫化胶的力学性能都变好。用过氧化物硫化的EPDM／NBR并用胶力学性能要优于硫磺硫化的并用胶力学性能。     

Bis(N‐benzyl piperazino) thiuram disulfide and dibenzothiazyl disulfide as synergistic safe accelerators in the vulcanization of natural rubber

Some investigation regarding the effect of binary system of accelerators comprising one safe thiuram disulfide, namely bis(N‐benzyl piperazino) thiuram disulfide (BPTD) and dibenzothiazyl disulfide (MBTS), on the vulcanization of NR is carried out. The results are compared with those obtained with conventional tetra methyl thiuram disulfide (TMTD) presently considered as unsafe. The vulcanizates obtained from safe synergistic pair of accelerators (BPTD‐MBTS) possess comparable mechanical properties [modulus, tensile strength, and elongation at break (%)] and exhibits some improvement in heat resistant behavior when compared with those obtained with TMTD‐MBTS system. In the light of mechanical properties, safe BPTD‐MBTS system introduces the safe noncarcinogenic rubber accelerator in the vulcanization of rubber. Same type of synergistic activity may be due to comparable activation energy for both the TDs with the combination of MBTS. Although rate constant values are low for BPTD‐MBTS (6 : 3) compared to TMTD‐MBTS (6 : 3) in the high temperature vulcanization, the crosslinking efficiency of former is very large compared to later. This may be responsible for improvement in heat resistance behavior of the novel accelerator in the combination with MBTS. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Synergic effect of N‐benzylimine aminothioformamide secondary accelerator during sulfur vulcanization of a styrene‐butadiene‐natural rubber blend

In this study we reported synergic activity of a novel secondary accelerator N‐Benzylimine aminothioformamide (BIAT) along with tetramethylthiuram disulfide (TMTD) in improving cure and mechanical properties of gum and filled mixes of Styrene‐Butadiene Rubber (SBR). The feasibility of application of BIAT in sulfur vulcanization of an ideal blend of SBR and natural rubber (NR) has also been investigated. The mechanical properties like t ensile strength, tear resistance, hardness, compression set, and abrasion loss were measured. Swelling values were also determined as a measure of crosslink densities of the vulcanizates. The binary accelerator system BIAT‐TMTD was found very effective in improving cure properties of the mixes of pure SBR and a 50/50 blend of SBR and NR.There was also found simultaneous improvement in mechanical properties of vulcanizates of both pure and blend. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Effect of dynamic crosslinking on impact strength and other mechanical properties of polypropylene/ethylene‐propylene‐diene rubber blends

The deformation and fracture behavior of several dynamic vulcanizate blends of isotactic polypropylene with ethylene‐propylene‐diene rubber (EPDM) was examined and compared with those of uncrosslinked blends of PP/EPDM. These blends were prepared by melt mixing in an internal mixer at 190°C in a composition range of 10–40 wt % EPDM rubber. The variation in yield stress, the strength of fibrils of the craze, and the number density of the EPDM rubber domains (morphology fixation) that are dominant factors for enhancing interfacial adhesion and toughness in dynamic vulcanizate blends were evaluated. The ductility and toughness of these materials were explained in light of the composition between crack formation and the degree of plastic deformation through crazing and shear yielding. The physicomechanical properties including the hardness, yield stress, Young's modulus, percentage elongation, impact strength, flexural strength, and flexural modulus of dynamic vulcanized blends were found to be consistent and displayed higher values compared with uncrosslinked blends. The nucleation effect of the crosslinked particles and the decrease of crystallinity of the EPDM rubber were also considered to contribute to the improvement in the impact strength. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 78: 2089–2103, 2000     

Miscibility of blends of ethylene‐propylene‐diene terpolymer and polypropylene

The miscibility of polymers is not only an important basis for selecting a proper blending method, but it is also one of the key factors in determining the morphology and properties of the blends. The miscibility between ethylene‐propylene‐diene terpolymer (EPDM) and polypropylene (PP) was explored by means of dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results showed that a decrease in the PP content and an increase of the crosslinking density of EPDM in the EPDM/PP blends caused the glass‐transition temperature peaks of EPDM to shift from a lower temperature to higher one, yet there was almost no variance in the glass‐transition temperature peaks of PP and the degree of crystallinity of PP decreased. It was observed that the blends prepared with different mixing equipment, such as a single‐screw extruder and an open mill, had different mechanical properties and blends prepared with the former had better mechanical properties than those prepared with the latter. The TEM micrographs revealed that the blends were composed of two phases: a bright, light PP phase and a dark EPDM phase. As the crosslinking degree of EPDM increased, the interface between the phases of EPDM and PP was less defined and the EPDM gradually dispersed in the PP phase became a continuous phase. The results indicated that EPDM and PP were both partially miscible. The mechanical properties of the blends had a lot to do with the blend morphology and the miscibility between the blend components. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 83: 315–322, 2002     

Effect of dynamic cross‐linking on melt rheological properties of polypropylene/ethylene‐propylene‐diene rubber blends

Study of melts rheological properties of unvulcanized and dynamically vulcanized polypropylene (PP)/ethylene‐propylene‐diene rubber (EPDM) blends, at blending ratios 10–40 wt %, EPDM, are reported. Blends were prepared by melt mixing in an internal mixer at 190°C and rheological parameters have been evaluated at 220°C by single screw capillary rheometer. Vulcanization was performed with dimethylol phenolic resin. The effects of (i) blend composition; (ii) shear rate or shear stress on melt viscosity; (iii) shear sensitivity and flow characteristics at processing shear; (iv) melt elasticity of the extrudate; and (v) dynamic cross‐linking effect on the processing characteristics of the blends were studied. The melt viscosity increases with increasing EPDM concentration and decreased with increasing intensity of the shear mixing for all compositions. In comparison to the unvulcanized blends, dynamically vulcanized blends display highly pseudoplastic behavior provides unique processing characteristics that enable to perform well in both injection molding and extusion. The high viscosity at low shear rate provides the integrity of the extrudate during extrusion, and the low viscosity at high shear rate enables low injection pressure and less injection time. The low die‐swell characteristics of vulcanizate blends also give high precision for dimensional control during extrusion. The property differences for vulcanizate blends have also been explained in the light of differences in the morphology developed. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 77: 1488–1505, 2000     

Properties and morphologies of elastomer blends modified with EPDM‐g‐poly[2‐dimethylamino ethylmethacrylate]

The graft copolymerization of 2‐dimethylamino ethylmethacrylate (DMAEMA) onto ethylene propylene diene mononer rubber (EPDM) was carried out in toluene via solution polymerization technique at 70°C, using dibenzoyl peroxide as initiator. The synthesized EPDM rubber grafted with poly[DMAEMA] (EPDM‐g‐PDMAEMA) was characterized with ¹H‐NMR spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The EPDM‐g‐PDMAEMA was incorporated into EPDM/butadiene acrylonitrile rubber (EPDM/NBR) blend with different blend ratios, where the homogeneity of such blends was examined with scanning electron microscopy and DSC. The scanning electron micrographs illustrate improvement of the morphology of EPDM/NBR rubber blends as a result of incorporation of EPDM‐g‐PDMAEMA onto that blend. The DSC trace exhibits one glass transition temperature (T_g) for EPDM/NBR blend containing EPDM‐g‐PDMAEMA, indicating improvement of homogeneity. The physico‐mechanical properties after and before accelerated thermal aging of the homogeneous, and inhomogeneous EPDM/NBR vulcanizates with different blend ratios were investigated. The physico‐mechanical properties of all blend vulcanizates were improved after and before accelerated thermal aging, in presence of EPDM‐g‐PDMAEMA. Of all blend ratios under investigation EPDM/NBR (75/25) blend possesses the best physico‐mechanical properties together with the best (least) swelling (%) in brake fluid. Swelling behavior of the rubber blend vulcanizates in motor oil and toluene was also investigated. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Studies on mechanical and morphological behavior of hybrid nanoclay‐reinforced EPDM‐g‐TMEVS/PS blends

A new copolymer of tris(2‐methoxyethoxy) vinylsilane (TMEVS)‐grafted ethylene–propylene–diene elastomer (EPDM‐g‐TMEVS) has been developed by grafting of TMEVS onto EPDM by using dicumylperoxide (DCP) initiator. The linear polystyrene blends (EPDM‐g‐TMEVS/PS) based on EPDM‐g‐TMEVS have been synthesized with varying weight percentages of polystyrene in a twin‐screw extruder. In a similar manner, the dynamically vulcanized and nanoclay‐reinforced polystyrene blends have also been developed using DCP and organically modified montmorillonite clay separately by means of a twin‐screw extruder. The grafting of TMEVS onto EPDM at allylic position present in the third monomer of EPDM has been confirmed by Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy. The effect of silane‐grafted EPDM and concentration of nanoclay on mechanical properties of polystyrene blends has been studied as per ASTM standards. The morphological behavior of these blends has been investigated using scanning electron microscope. It was observed that the incorporation of silane‐grafted EPDM enhanced the impact strength and the percentage elongation of linear‐ and dynamically vulcanized blends. However, the values of tensile strength, flexural strength, flexural modulus, and hardness of the blends were found to be decreasing with the increase of silane‐grafted EPDM. In the case of nanoclay‐reinforced polystyrene blends, the values of impact strength, tensile strength, flexural strength, flexural modulus, and hardness were increased with an increase in the concentration of nanoclay. XRD studies have been carried out to confirm the formation of nanoclay‐reinforced EPDM‐g‐TMEVS/PS blends. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Effect of dynamic crosslinking on tensile yield behavior of polypropylene/ethylene‐propylene‐diene rubber blends

Tensile yield behavior of the blends of polypropylene (PP) with ethylene‐propylene‐diene rubber (EPDM) is studied in blend composition range 0–40 wt % EPDM rubber. These blends were prepared in a laboratory internal mixer by simultaneous blending and dynamic vulcanization. Vulcanization was performed with dimethylol phenolic resin. For comparison, unvulcanized PP/EPDM blends were also prepared. In comparison to the unvulcanized blends, dynamically vulcanized blends showed higher yield stress and modulus. The increase of interfacial adhesion caused by production of three‐dimensional network is considered to be the most important factor in the improvement. It permits the interaction of the stress concentrate zone developed at the rubber particles and causes shear yielding of the PP matrix. Systematic changes with varying blend composition were found in stress‐strain behavior in the yield region, viz., in yield stress, yield strain, width of yield peak, and work of yield. Analysis of yield stress data on the basis of the various expressions of first power and two‐thirds power laws of blend compositions dependence and the porosity model led to consistent results from all expression about the variation of stress concentration effect in both unvulcanized and vulcanized blend systems. Shapes and sizes of dispersed rubber phase (EPDM) domains at various blend compositions were studied by scanning electron microscopy. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 78: 2104–2121, 2000     

复合硫化体系对ACM/NBR共混胶性能的影响

分别采用TCY/硫黄、3#硫化剂/硫黄/促进剂、皂/硫黄/促进剂3种复合硫化体系硫化ACM/NBR共混胶。研究不同复合硫化体系、TCY用量和硫黄用量对ACM/NBR共混胶硫化特性、力学性能、耐热老化性能、耐油性能和压缩永久变形性能的影响,结果表明,TCY/硫黄复合硫化体系硫化的ACM/NBR共混胶的综合性能优于3#硫化剂/硫黄/促进剂和皂/硫黄/促进剂复合硫化体系,当TCY/硫黄的用量为1.5/0.3份时,ACM/NBR共混胶具有良好的综合物理机械性能。     

Preparation and characterization of acrylonitrile–styrene–methylmethacrylate terpolymer as a compatibilizer for rubber blends

Acrylonitrile‐co‐styrene‐co‐methylmethacrylate (AN‐S‐MMA) terpolymer was prepared by bulk and emulsifier‐free emulsion polymerization techniques. The bulk and emulsion terpolymers were characterized by means of Fourierr transform infrared spectroscopy, ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, thermal gravimetric analysis, and elemental analysis. The kinetics of the terpolymerization were studied. The terpolymers were then incorporated into butadiene—acrylonitrile rubber (NBR)/ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM) blends and into chloroprene rubber (CR)/EPDM blend. The terpolymers were then tested for potential as compatibilizers by using scanning electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The terpolymers improved the compatibility of CR/EPDM and NBR/EPDM blends. The physicomechanical properties of CR/EPDM and NBR/EPDM blend vulcanizates revealed that the incorporation of terpolymers was advantageous, since they resulted in blend vulcanizates with higher 100% moduli and with more thermally stable mechanical properties than the individual rubbers. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 89: 3143–3153, 2003     

Crystallization of vulcanizates. I. Low‐temperature crystallization as a function of extent of cure for polyisoprene vulcanized with tetramethylthiuram disulfide/sulfur and 2‐bisbenzothiazole‐2,2′‐disulfide/sulfur

The crystallization of polyisoprene, vulcanized to various degrees of cure with tetramethylthiuram disulfide/sulfur and 2‐bisbenzothiazole‐2,2′‐disulfide (MBTS)/sulfur formulations, was studied in a density column at ?25°C. The densities of vulcanizates before crystallization decrease progressively with cure time, which is ascribed to an increase in free volume occasioned by the formation of accelerator‐terminated pendent groups on the polymer chain. The induction period before the onset of crystallization increases and both the rate of and the degree of crystallization decrease with extent of cure. This is attributed primarily to the presence of residual pendent groups on the polymer chain and secondly to crosslink formation. The changes are more marked with MBTS formulations where pendent groups are more bulky. MBTS compounds fail to crystallize once vulcanized to the point where a gel has formed. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 81: 2565–2572, 2001     

HNBR/EPDM blends: Covulcanization and compatibility

The covulcanization characteristics, mechanical properties, compatibility, and hot‐air aging resistance of hydrogenated nitrile‐butadiene rubber (HNBR)/ethylene‐propylene‐diene rubber (EPDM) blends cured with either sulfur or dicumyl peroxide (DCP) were studied. The difference between M_H and M_L (M_H ? M_L), rheometer graphs, selective swelling and a dynamic mechanical analysis of HNBR/EPDM blends confirmed that the peroxide curing system gives better covulcanization characteristics than the sulfur curing system and peroxide exhibited higher crosslink efficiency on EPDM while sulfur showed larger crosslink efficiency on HNBR. Dynamic mechanical analysis and morphology indicated that the compatibility between HNBR and EPDM is limited. Tensile strength and elongation at break of the sulfur‐cured blends are greater than those obtained with peroxide and increase with the HNBR fraction. The blends crosslinked with peroxide retain their tensile strength but not their elongation at break after hot air ageing better than blends vulcanized by sulfur. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Optimization of accelerators on curing characteristics,tensile, and dynamic mechanical properties of (natural rubber)/(recycled ethylene‐propylene‐diene‐monomer) blends

The migration of sulfur from natural rubber (NR) compound to the ground waste ethylene‐propylene‐diene monomer (EPDM) rubber phase may have caused the cure incompatibility between these two rubbers. Optimization of accelerators had been adopted to overcome the cure incompatibility in NR/(R‐EPDM) blends as well as to get increased curative distribution. In this study, blends of NR and R‐EPDM were prepared. The effect of accelerator type on curing characteristics, tensile properties, and dynamic mechanical properties of 70/30/NR/(R‐EPDM) blend was investigated. Four types of commercial accelerators were selected [ie, N‐tert‐butyl‐2‐benzothiazyl‐sulphonamide , N‐cyclohexyl‐benzothiazyl‐sulfenamide (CBS), tetramethylthiuram disulfide, and 2‐mercaptobenzothiazol]. It was found that the tensile strength of the blends cured in the presence of CBS was relatively higher than the other three accelerators. Scanning electron micrographs of CBS‐cured NR/(R‐EPDM) blends exhibited more roughness and cracking path, indicating that higher energy was required toward the fractured surface. The high crosslinking density observed from the swelling method could be verified from the storage modulus (E′) and damping factor (tan δ) where (tetramethylthiuram disulfide)‐cured NR/(R‐EPDM) blends provided a predominant degree of crosslinking followed by N‐tert‐butyl‐2‐benzothiazyl‐sulphonamide , CBS, and 2‐mercaptobenzothiazol, respectively. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 21:79–88, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Mechanical property and morphology comparison between the two blends poly(propylene)/ethylene‐propylene‐diene monomer elastomer and poly(propylene)/maleic anhydride‐g‐ethylene‐propylene‐diene monomer

The comparison of the mechanical properties between poly(propylene)/ethylene‐propylene‐diene monomer elastomer (PP/EPDM) and poly(propylene)/maleic anhydride‐g‐ethylene‐propylene‐diene monomer [PP/MEPDM (MAH‐g‐EPDM)] showed that the latter blend has noticeably higher Izod impact strength but lower Young's modulus than the former one. Phase morphology of the two blends was examined by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, indicating that the miscibility of PP/MEPDM was inferior to PP/EPDM. The poor miscibility of PP/MEPDM degrades the nucleation effectiveness of the elastomer on PP. The observations of the impact fracture mode of the two blends and the dispersion state of the elastomers, determined by scanning electron microscopy, showed that PP/EPDM fractured in a brittle mode, whereas PP/MEPDM in a ductile one, and that a finer dispersion of MEPDM was found in the blend PP/MEPDM. These observations indicate that the difference in the dispersion state of elastomer between PP/EPDM and PP/MEPDM results in different fracture modes, and thereby affects the toughness of the two blends. The finer dispersion of MEPDM in the blend of PP/MEPDM was attributed to the part cross‐linking of MEPDM resulting from the grafting reaction of EPDM with maleic anhydride (MAH) in the presence of dicumyl peroxide (DCP). © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 2486–2491, 2002     

Effect of diisopropyl thiophosphoryl‐N‐oxydiethylene sulfenamide and some disulfidic compounds in the covulcanization of NR–EPDM blends

Synergistic combinations of diisopropyl thiophosphoryl‐N‐oxydiethylene sulfenamide (DIPTOS) with some disulfide accelerators or sulfur donors improve the physical properties of NR–EPDM blend vulcanizates. Various combinations of DIPTOS with dibenzothiazyl disulfide (MBTS), tetramethyl thiuram disulfide (TMTD), bis(N‐oxydiethylene) disulfide (ODDS) and bis(diisopropyl) thiophosphoryl disulfide (DIPDIS) were used in this study. DIPTOS when used alone produces NR vulcanizates with a moderate range of physical properties, whereas in conjunction with MBTS and DIPDIS it exhibits significant mutual activities. Morphological studies of the tensile‐fractured surfaces of the blend vulcanizates by scanning electron microscopy corroborate the physical data. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry