FOURIER TRANSFORM RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY FOR CHARACTERIZATION OF NATURAL RUBBER REVERSION AND OF ANTIREVERSION AGENTS

Fourier Transform Raman spectroscopy is employed to study the mechanism of reversion and the influence of the antireversion agent, 1.3 bis(citraonimidorncthyl)benzene (BCI-MX) in squalene as well as in low molecular weight synthetic polyisoprene. The formation of non-sulfidic main chain modifications, such as conjugated diene and trienc units, along the squalene and isoprene backbone is followed by using this technique. The mode of action and the efficacy of BCI-MX is studied. The decrease in concentration of conjugated diene trienes by the addition of BCI-MX confirms the reaction of BCI-MX with polyenes to be a Diels-Alder reaction. In addition to the detection of reversion reactions also other processes which occur during rubber vulcanization are monitored via Raman spectroscopy.