THERMOOXIDATIVE BEHAVIOR OF HALOBUTYL AND BUTYL ELASTOMERS

The thermo-oxidative degradation of butyl and halobutyl elastomers has been studied by both IR spectroscopy and chemiluminescence methods. T he kinetic parameters of degradation are similar for both methods and show that the chlorinated elastomer is less stable than the parent hyd rocarbon, whereas the brominated elastomer is more stable. Degradation of the butyl rubber is mainly by chain scission, whereas the halobuty l elastomers undergo extensive cross-linking. (C) 1996 Elsevier Scienc e Limited