Identification of rubber polymers in rubber blends

Abstract

Solid phase extraction (SPE) was used to separate pyrolysates of rubber blends. Then each rubber polymer in rubber blends was identified, based on interpreting infrared spectrum of separated pyrolysates. By using this method, nature–ethylene–propylene, ethylene–propylene–silicone, butyl–styrene–butadiene and ethylene–propylene–butadiene–acrylonitrile rubber blends were analysed. The analytical results show that each characteristic pyrolysate of polymer in rubber blend pyrolysate can be separated by SPE. The method for identification of rubber polymers in rubber blends by infrared coupled with SPE is flexible, rapid and low cost, compared with the method by pyrolysis gas chromatography coupled with infrared spectroscopy or mass spectroscopy.