MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES OF BLENDS OF EPDM WITH NR-CELLULOSE-II SYSTEM

There is an ever increasing technological interest in the use of blend s of dissimilar rubbers to improve specific properties of vulcanizates . In this work the system natural rubber (NR) and cellulose II (regene rated cellulose) was mixed with EPDM (ethylene-propylene-diene terpoly mer). For reference, pure gum mixtures EPDM/NR were also prepared. The incorporation of cellulose II to NR was based on a technique already developed in this Institute according to which it was possible to obse rve that the composite consisting of 15 phr of cellulose II in NR (NR 15 phr Cell II) had shown the best mechanical properties. The NR-15 ph r Cell II masterbatch was then mixed in different amounts to EPDM in a roll mill and the mechanical properties of the resulting compositions were studied. Two types of EPDM were used and the results were analys ed as for the influence of both types of EPDM as well as the relative amounts of EPDM and NR-Cell II system in the blends.