고무소재는 다양한 종류별로 구조에 따라 다른 물성을 갖는 것으로 알려져 있다. 일반적으로 EPDM 고무는 내후성과 내오존성이 뛰어나고 열이나 냉기, 습기의 노출에도 잘 견디는 것으로 밝혀진 바 있다. 한편 crosslinked IIR은 물과 기체투과에 대한 저항성이 큰 것으로 알려져 두가지 성분의 장점을 갖도록 EPDM/crosslinked IIR의 블렌드를 새로운 형태의 소재로 추천할 수 있다. 따라서 본 실험에서는 EPDM과 crosslinked IIR의 블렌드비를 변화시키면서 가교시간과 블렌드후 물리/화학적 특성의 개선을 목표로 하였다. 결과적으로 30wt.%의 crosslinked IIR 조성을 갖는 블렌드소재가 내후성, 내오존성 및 내기체투과 특성이 뛰어나, O-링이나 전기관련 제품에 상업적으로 응용가능한 것으로 판단되었다.
It is well known that EPDM(ethylene propylene diene monomer) rubber has inherently excellent resistance to the weathering, ozone, heat, cold and moisture, whereas crosslinked IIR (isobutylene isoprene divlnyl benzene terpolymer) shows proper resistance to the water and gas permeation. Various characteristics of EPDM blend with crosslinked IIR such as curing characteristics, mechanical properties, dispersion of minor component and gas impermeability were explored. The optimum curing time $(t_{90})$ examined with peroxide was decreased by adding small amount of crosslinked IIR to the EPDM rubber. Mechanical properties of blends such as tensile strength, hardness and elongation at break were enhanced by increasing EPDM content. These results might be explained with the affinity of carbon black to the EPDM rubber. On the other hand, the physical properties were not changed significantly after aging, and the increase of crosslinked IIR fraction caused the decrease of compression set to small rate. EPDM rubber shows different behavior with crosslinked IIR in oxygen permeability. By adding 30wt.% crosslinked IIR to the EPDM rubber, the resistance to the oxygen permeation was improved up to three times than that of pure EPDM rubber. Conclusively, EPDM blend containing 30wt.% crosslinked IIR might be commercially applied to the o-ring and electric parts because of its proper resistance to the weathering, ozone and oxygen permeability.
