THE ROLE OF MOLAR VOLUME OF THE ORGANIC-SOLVENTS IN THE SWELLING SYSTEM EPDM VULCANIZATE SOLVENT/

Eight samples of poly(ethylene-co-propylene-co-diene) (EPDM, containin g 55 wt.-% ethylene) were vulcanized with 0.5-8.0 phr dicumyl peroxide . The influence of molar volumes V-1 of cyclohexane, hexane, heptane, iso-octane, tetrachloromethane, carbon disulfide, xylene, benzene, tol uene, tetrahydrofuran, trichloromethane and chlorobenzene on the swell ing intensity of the EPDM vulcanizates was studied, and it was found t hat regardless of the solubility parameters, polarity, dielectric cons tants, acidity or basicity of solvents, a linear relationship exists b etween (1) and number of moles of solvent in the gels, n(1). With incr ease of V-1, n(1) decreases.