Polyfuran, polythiophene and their blend as novel antioxidants for styrene- butadiene rubber vulcanizates

Polyfuran (PF) and polythiophene (PT) were prepared by chemical oxidation, their blend was prepared by mechanical mixing of the two polymers. The prepared polymers and their blend were characterized by viscometric polydispersity, FT-IR spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). PF, PT and PF/PT blend were incorporated in Styrene–Butadiene Rubber (SBR) mixes and the rheometric characteristics were determined using an oscillating disc rheometer. The prepared polymers and their blend were evaluated as antioxidants for SBR vulcanizates. The physico-mechanical properties of SBR vulcanizates were measured before and after exposure to accelerated thermo-oxidative aging. The results revealed that the prepared polymers and their blend are efficient antioxidants for SBR vulcanizates in comparison with p-maleiyl phenylene amide polymer and polymerized 2,2,4-trimethyl-12dihydroquinoline (TMQ), the antioxidant used in industry. On the other hand, PF/PT blend showed better results than the individual polymers.