Influence of 1,2‐polybutadiene on properties of dicumyl peroxide cured brominated butyl rubber

Peroxide curing of brominated butyl rubber (BIIR) is an attractive topic, but the degradation of BIIR during the curing is a drawback needed to be overcome. Coagent assisted peroxide curing system is an attractive and effective choice in order to increase the crosslink density of rubbers. 1,2‐polybutadiene (1,2‐PB) is used as a crosslinking coagent for the curing of BIIR by dicumyl peroxide (DCP), and the effect of 1,2‐PB on the curing characteristics, crosslink density, and mechanical properties is investigated. The addition of 1,2‐PB affects the curing characteristics of BIIR compound and significantly increases the crosslink density of BIIR vulcanizates. With increasing 1,2‐PB content, the tensile strength and stresses at a given extension of BIIR vulcanizates increase, but the elongation at break decreases. A stress‐softening effect of the carbon black filled BIIR vulcanizates is observed and becomes more pronounced with increasing 1,2‐PB content. The addition of 1,2‐PB increases the stress relaxation index of BIIR. GPC and ¹³C‐NMR results indicate 1,2‐PB participates in the crosslinking reaction, and the existence of 1,2‐PB component in the insoluble fraction of BIIR/1,2‐PB vulcanizates is confirmed by solid‐state ¹³C‐NMR. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43280.