Alkanolamide as a novel accelerator and vulcanising agent in carbon black-filled polychloroprene rubber compounds

A feasibility study was carried out on the utilisation of Alkanolamide (ALK) as a novel accelerator and vulcanising agent in Carbon Black (CB)-filled polychloroprene rubber (CR) compounds. The functions of the ALK were compared with those of conventional accelerator and vulcanising agents for CR, ethylene thiourea (ETU), and a combination of magnesium and zinc oxides. The ALK was incorporated into the CB-filled CR compounds at 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 phr. By replacing ETU, it was found that increasing the ALK loading decreased the scorch and cure times of the CB-filled CR compounds with magnesium and zinc oxides. The incorporation of up to 3.0 phr of ALK increased the torque differences, and tensile and hardness properties; and decreased those properties with further increases of ALK loadings. It was also found that ALK was able to vulcanise the CB-filled CR compound. The 3.0 phr ALK-CR compound without the ETU, magnesium and zinc oxides showed a higher tensile strength than that of the control compound, which was cured by ETU, magnesium and zinc oxides.