Chemical Modifications in StyreneButadiene Rubber after Microwave

Devulcanization
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ie202077g
Microwave devulcanization has been studied as a method for elastomer recycling, which is based on the
conversion of the reticulated and infusible structure of thermosetting rubbers in free polymeric chains able to be
remolded by thermomechanical processing in recycling operations for the manufacture of other products.
Elastomeric wastes are often irregularly discarded in nature, producing serious environmental damage, and
their mechanical recycling is still considered a challenge. Thus, the development of alternatives for elastomer
recycling is directly related to the actions of sustainable development and economic benefits to companies that
pay to discard their wastes. The aim of this work is to evaluate the chemical modifications occurring in styrene
butadiene rubber (SBR) after microwave devulcanization. Compounds of SBR were vulcanized in the presence
of vulcanization agents and variable amounts of carbon black, and then the rubbers were milled and submitted
to microwave treatment. Only the SBR with high carbon black content shows some portion of devulcanized
material. However, the rubber with lower content of carbon black which was devulcanized by microwave
radiation shows an increase in cross-link density. The microwave treatment also causes cross-link breaks
mainly in polysulfidic bonds as well as decomposition of chemical groups containing sulfur attached to the
chemical structure of SBR, while the chemical bonds of higher energy such as monosulfidic bonds remain
preserved. The improvement of the microwave method for rubber devulcanization represents a way for viable
recycling of thermosetting rubbers.

http://www.google.com/patents/US5602186