A comparison of 2H and 129Xe NMR as a probe of the effect of crosslinking in rubbery materials

The paper describes the investigation of butadiene rubber networks varying in crosslink density by means of xenon (¹²⁹Xe) and deuteron (²H) NMR spectroscopy. ¹²⁹Xe NMR spectra give an evidence of structural inhomogeneities inside the lower crosslinked network which were already observed in previous deuteron NMR studies under uniaxial deformation. The results are discussed in comparison with theoretical models and simulations. It appears that experiment, theory and also simulation are now coming together to give a detailed picture of the behaviour of these rubbery materials.