| Abstract: | Elastomers cured with two crosslinking systems such as sulfur and the polymerization products of p-benzoquinone are shown to have much improved overall mechanical properties. It was thought that this was because of the antioxidizing potency of the quinone polymers that act as radical traps during the oxidative degradation process. However, if the polyquinone crosslinks of the greater length themselves act as elastomeric network chains, then a bimodal network with its, exceptional mechanical properties is produced. Adding commercial antioxidants to the samples will even harvest much tougher samples. The antioxidant added, along with the quinone polymers, will reserve the integrity of the bimodal network produced and lead to better mechanical properties. Tests were also done to examine the effect of the quinone polymers on the hardness and on the onset of the vulcanization process. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. |
