EPDM is a synthetic rubber composed primarily of ethylene and propylene, with small amounts of diene monomer incorporated to provide cross-linking sites during the curing process. The specific amounts of ethylene and propylene in EPDM rubber can vary depending on the manufacturing process and the desired properties of the material. Typically, EPDM rubber contains approximately 45-85% ethylene and 10-90% propylene. The ratio of ethylene to propylene in an EPDM rubber formulation affects the material’s physical properties, such as its flexibility, resistance to heat, UV radiation, and ozone, as well as its resistance to various chemicals and fluids. compatibility.
This paper mainly discusses the contents of ethylene and propylene in EPDM rubber and the effects of these contents on rubber properties. An in-depth understanding of the relationship between content and performance will help provide theoretical guidance for the development and production of rubber materials and further optimize product performance.
Ethylene and propylene content analysis
In EPDM rubber, ethylene and propylene monomer units account for about 38% and 34% respectively, which are also the basic composition of the rubber material. The content of these monomer units will directly affect the physical and chemical properties of EPDM rubber. For example, as the ethylene content increases, the hardness and crystallinity of the rubber will increase, thereby affecting the elasticity, wear resistance and oil resistance of the rubber. The increase in propylene content helps to improve the weather resistance and chemical stability of rubber.
Content measurement method
Traditional methods include chemical analysis and physical testing. Chemical analysis method mainly determines the content of ethylene and propylene by decomposing rubber samples and then performing elemental analysis or chromatographic analysis. This method is highly accurate, but the operation is complicated and requires a large number of samples. Physical testing rules mainly rely on some physical properties of rubber, such as density, refractive index, etc., to determine the content. This method is easy to operate, but the accuracy is relatively low.
In recent years, with the development of science and technology, some advanced testing technologies have also been applied to the determination of rubber content. For example, infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance methods can more accurately determine the chemical composition of rubber. Although these methods are relatively complex to operate, they have higher accuracy and sensitivity, and have important application value for some high-precision measurement requirements, such as product quality control and material research.