Preparation and properties of carbon black filled EPDM/POE thermaplastic vulcanizates

TPVs filled with different amounts (0–50 phr) of carbon black were prepared via melt mixing by dynamic vulcanization in Haake plasticorder at 150°C and 40rpm and then the properties of them were studied. Torque-time curves showed that the curing degree reached a biggest value at 10 phr and then decreased with the increase of filling content while the curing rate was always rising. Mechanical properties such as tensile strength, tear strength, modulus as well as hardness increased with the increment of carbon black content while the tension set at break was reduced dramatically. Two phase morphology was observed by SEM photographs and the effect of carbon black on curing extent was testified. To illuminate the effect of carbon black, curometer curves and carbon black dispersion pictures were also analyzed. Rubber processing analyzer (RPA) experiments proved that there was a progressive nonlinear behavior, which was more and more clearly expressed with the increment of carbon black content and could be explained via the Payne effect. But the TPVs containing highest carbon black exhibited the fastest drop of G′ with increasing strain amplitude as obtained from the value of G₀′ − G_∞′. The order of tanδ at different carbon black content was tanδ (10 phr) < tanδ (0 phr) < tanδ (30 phr) < tanδ (50 phr) at lower strain amplitude. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012