Carbon black-reinforced dynamically cured EPDM/PP thermoplastic elastomers. I. Morphology, rheology, and dynamic mechanical properties

The structure development, rheological behavior, and viscoelastic properties of carbon black-filled dynamically vulcanized thermoplastic elastomers based on the ethylene–propylene–diene terpolymer (EPDM) and polypropylene (PP) with the ratio range of 50/50 to 80/20 were studied and compared with similar but unfilled samples. Two-phase morphology was observed at all ratios for the dynamically cured samples in which rubber particles are dispersed in the thermoplastic matrix. Carbon black distribution in each phase and damping behavior was found to be dependent upon the mixing condition and route of carbon black feeding. However, carbon black tends to stay mainly in the rubber phase, which leads to increase in the viscosity difference and, therefore, increase in the rubber particle size. Tensile strength and rupture energy increased with carbon black loading. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 75: 1127–1137, 2000