COMPUTER-SIMULATION OF CHANGING THE RUBBER NETWORK STRUCTURE DURING VULCANIZATION

An earlier elaborated model for vulcanization of unsaturated rubber co mpound was used in computer simulation to assist in the prediction of changes of sulfur crosslink concentrations. Polysulfidic and disulfidi c crosslinks could be transformed into bridges with lower number of su lfur atoms. These individual multistage processes are described by equ ations of first order reactions. Using this model, it is found that th e evaluation of sulfidic crosslink structure in different parts of thi ck rubber goods is possible. Only vulcameric curves recorded at differ ent temperatures and curves of temperature changes in rubber elements during vulcanization are needed for such evaluations.