Polyisoprene/tetramethylthiuram disulfide (TMTD)/sulfur compounds were vulc
anized under a variety of conditions. TMTD does not decompose to tetramethy
lthiourea (TMTU) at vulcanization temperatures as has been suggested, neith
er is it formed as an integral part of the crosslinking process. Instead, i
t results from the attack of dimethylamine, released on decomposition of di
methyldithiocarbamic acid (Hdmtc), on TMTD. It is demonstrated that the for
mation of TMTU in vulcanizates may be overlooked, as it is readily lost in
the work-up for HPLC analysis. Hdmtc is shown to play an essential role in
the crosslinking process in polyisoprene/TMTD/sulfur formulations, and its
removal from the system during vulcanization severely impedes crosslinking.
Polysulfidic thiuram-terminated pendent groups are formed, in part, by the
interaction of tetramethylthiuram polysulfides with the polymer chain, but
largely by an exchange between Hdmtc and polysulfidic thiol pendent groups
. The latter are formed when sulfurated Hdmtc reacts with the polymer chain
. Crosslinking of thiuram-terminated pendent groups is slow, and :in the ab
sence of ZnO crosslinking results from reaction between polysulfidic thiura
m pendent groups and thiols. Crosslinking is delayed until the bulk of the
accelerator is bound to the polymer chain, at which point the concentration
of free thiuram groups, :in the form of Hdmtc, is low, and exchanges betwe
en newly formed thiol pendent groups and Hdmtc is less frequent, permitting
crosslinking of thiuram pendent groups with these newly formed thiol pende
nt groups. Data to support the proposed reaction mechanism is presented. Hd
mtc on its own accelerates sulfur vulcanization and acts as a catalyst for
the reaction, being regenerated in the crosslinking process. (C) 1999 John
Wiley & Sons, Inc.