Morphology, mechanical and thermal properties of HNBR/AEM blends

Blending is an economical and feasible method to improve the properties of polymers. To improve the mechanical properties of ethylene acrylate rubber (AEM), a series of hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR)/AEM blends were prepared. The mechanical, thermal properties and compatibility of HNBR/AEM blends were investigated in detail. Carbon black filled HNBR/AEM blends exhibited excellent mechanical properties as well as good resistance to high and low temperature. The reactivity of HNBR was higher than that of AEM at a high temperature (180 degrees C) in air. The crosslinking reaction was more likely to occur in HNBR rubber, while it is not easy to remove small molecules at high temperature. The degradation temperature (T-d5%) of AEM (350 degrees C) was lower than that of HNBR (390 degrees C), while the hot-air ageing tests indicate that the retention of tensile strength of AEM (95%) was much higher than that of HNBR (58%). HNBR/AEM blends were compatible within the full range of formulations, and have been mutually validated by SEM, dynamic mechanical analysis and mechanical property models of HNBR/AEM blends.