Abstract
The effects of trans-polyoctene rubber (TOR) and dynamic vulcanization on the processability, tensile properties, oil resistance and morphology of unvulcanized and vulcanized polypropylene (PP)/ethylene-propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM)/ natural rubber (NR) blends were investigated. The highest stabilization torque was obtained with vulcanized PP/EPDM/NR blends containing TOR, followed by control blends and unvulcanized blends containing TOR. At a similar blend ratio the tensile strength and the stress at 100% elongation of vulcanized PP/ EPDM/NR blends containing TOR were again higher than those of unvulcanized blends containing TOR and of the control blends. However, the opposite trend was observed with respect to elongation at break, whereby vulcanized PP/EPDM/NR blend had the lowest values The oil resistance of unvulcanized and vulcanized blends containing TOR was greater than that of the control blends. From morphological studies, it is clear that the incorporation of TOR in unvulcanized and vulcanized PP/EPDM/NR blends improved the homogeneity and promoted good adhesion between phases.