Composites of High-Density Polyethylene-Elastomer: Analysis by Physico-mechanical Tests and ATR-FTIR Spectrometry

The present work is concerned with the preparation and characterization of some thermoplastic vulcanizates based on high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM). These blends were obtained in the presence of binary sulfur-free accelerator systems. One of the two components of these energetically active systems was tetramethylthiuram disulfide (TH) and the second was one of the following cure agents: 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (M); N-cyclohexyl benzothiazole-2-sulfenamide (CZ) or 2,2'-dithiobenzothiazole (DM). These properties were correlated with the ATR-FTIR spectra. The samples containing as cure system TH+DM in the weighed ratio 2:1 was found to exhibit better properties, especially tensile strength, modulus 300%, and tear strength.