Hydrogenations of Butadiene Rubber and Natural Rubber by Reactive Processing

Hydrogenations of BR and NR performed by a noncatalytic method using p-toluenesulphonylhydrazide were carried out by reactive processing. The experimental procedures for carrying out the reaction were established. Two steps comprising premixing of the rubber with TSH followed by hydrogenation in compression mould were proved to be suitable. The percentages of hydrogenation attained by reactive processing were higher than those of the reaction carried out in solution at the same [TSH]/[C=C] ratio, reaction temperature and time. In-creasing the reaction temperature and reaction time resulted in increases of the percentage of hydrogenation. For BR, the maximum percentage of hydrogenation obtained was 36% at [TSH]/[C=C]=1/1.5. For NR, the highest percentage of hydrogenation was 34% at [TSH]/[C=C]=1/1.5. Cis-trans isomerisation was also observed to occur during hydrogenation of both BR and NR. Thermal stabilities of the hydrogenated BR and NR were shown to improve over those or the unhydrogenated counterparts.