RESEARCH TRENDS IN THE DEGRADATION OF BUTYL RUBBER

The present review surveys, integrates and gives a bibliographic accou nt of studies carried out on the degradation of butyl rubber over the last few decades. Our objective was to extract the useful information from such studies. As a large fraction of the related literature is in inaccessible journals, many of which are not readily available in Eng lish translation, this paper should help in presenting an overview and insight into the nature of the work being done in the field. The effe cts of thermal and thermo-oxidative conditions, mechanical stresses (d uring processing and ultrasound treatment), catalysts, chemicals, ozon e and radiation on the structure, and physicomechanical properties of butyl rubber have been discussed. This rubber was chosen as a represen tative elastomer in order to illustrate some trends in the degradation studies of other rubbers.