Kautschuk Gummi Kunststoffe, Vol.49, No.5, 354-356, 1996
The determination of the solubility of sulphur in elastomers using Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy
Fourier Transform Raman spectroscopy has been applied to the determination of the solubility of elemental sulphur in several elastomers. The solubility of sulphur in Natural Rubber ethylene propylene diene terpolymer, synthetic polyiosprene and Deproteinized Natural Rubber was determined over a period of 5 days. By varying She amount of sulphur added to the elastomers, heating the mixtures and then analyzing them on cooling in an FT-Raman instrument, both the immediate and long term solubility could be assayed. Some of the non-elastomeric components can influence the rate and level of crystallization.