Vulcanization and Vulcanizate Properties of a Fluoroelastomer Containing Epoxy Groups as Cure Sites

Abstract The vulcanization behavior and vulcanizate properties of tetrafluoroethylene-propylene elastomer containing a small amount of glycidyl vinyl ether as cure site was investigated both at room temperature and at high temperature with different types of the vulcanizing agents. The conclusions are: 1. Glycidyl vinyl ether incorporates into the tetrafluoroethylene-propylene copolymerization system without disturbing the alternating microstructure and works as an efficient cure site. 2. The room-temperature vulcanization of the terpolymer proceeds at an adequate rate when tris(dimethylaminomethyl)phenol is used as the curative together with phenol as the accelerating agent. 3. Coatings of the terpolymer make a tough finish on many substrates such as steel and hydrocarbon rubbers and protect the substrates from hostile environments. 4. The vulcanization behavior of the terpolymer at high temperature is much influenced by the kind of curative. The carboxylate of hexamethylenediamine [e.g., hexamethylenediamine-N,N′-bis(p-isopropylbenzoate)] provides balanced vulcanization behavior and mechanical properties suitable for molding articles of complex shapes. 5. The mechanical and chemical properties of the high-temperature vulcanizate thus obtained are similar to those of the tetrafluoroethylene-propylene binary system vulcanized by peroxide.