Reinforcement of waste rubber powder by zinc dimethacrylate

The reinforcing effect of in situ prepared zinc dimethacrylate (ZDMA) on the waste rubber powder (WRP) was investigated by the mechanical/morphological tests and the vulcanization analysis. Scanning electronic microscope and polarizing microscope analyses showed that there were ZDMA particles in the modified WRP vulcanizate. The ZDMA improved the interaction between WRP particles and increased the mechanical properties of WRP vulcanizate. The cross-linking kinetics of ZDMA-modified-WRP was studied by cure curves at different temperature. The results showed that the ZDMA participated in the cross-link reaction of WRP particles and increased the cure rate constant and decreased the cure activate energy. The tensile behaviors for different modified WRP vulcanizates also implied the improvement of ZDMA to the interaction of the WRP particle. Besides, the ZDMA-modified-WRP had reinforcing effect on the natural rubber vulcanizate in comparison with the negative effect of other modified WRP.