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Degradation Characterization of Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Monomer (EPDM) Rubber in Artificial Weathering Environment

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Abstract

Ethylene-propylene-diene monomer containing 5-ethylidene-2-norbornene as diene was exposed to artificial weathering environment produced by a xenon lamp light exposure and weathering equipment for different periods of time. The changes of surface color and mechanical properties were monitored by spectrophotometer, computer-controlled tensile testing and hardness measurements. Crosslink density of ethylene-propylene-diene monomer specimens was measured by the solvent swell method. The results showed that the surface of ethylene-propylene-diene monomer became yellower due to the form of carbonyl group. The degradation process proceeded predominantly via cross-linking. With increase in crosslink density, the tensile strength increased and the elongation at fracture decreased.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful for the financial support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, whose registered numbers are 50533060 and 50571013. The authors are also thankful for the financial support of the National R&D Infrastructure and Facility Development Program of China, whose registered number is 2005DKA10400.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Engineering, The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, People’s Republic of China

    Quanlin Zhao & Zhengfang Ye

  2. School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, People’s Republic of China

    Xiaogang Li

  3. Materials Science and Engineering School, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Shijiazhuang, 050054, People’s Republic of China

    Jianwen Hu

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  1. Quanlin Zhao
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  2. Xiaogang Li
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Correspondence to Quanlin Zhao.

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Zhao, Q., Li, X., Hu, J. et al. Degradation Characterization of Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Monomer (EPDM) Rubber in Artificial Weathering Environment. J Fail. Anal. and Preven. 10, 240–244 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11668-010-9342-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11668-010-9342-y

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