Effects of Reinforcing Fillers on Far-infrared Vulcanization Characteristics of EPDM

EPDM(Ethylene-propylene-diene-terpolymer) compound reinforced with carbon black having four different particle size, acetylene black(thermal conductivity carbon black), and silica were manufactured by internal mix and open mill. To investigate the effect of particle size of filler and filler type on far-infrared vulcanization, intermal temperature of compound, degree of curing, infrared spectroscopy, and thermal analysis were measured. The thermal conductivity of far-infrared vulcanized EPDM compound increased with increasing particle size of carbon filler, but hot air vulcanized EPDM compound is not affected by particle size. The thermal conductivity was increased in the order of carbon black< silica < acetylene black(thermal conductivity carbon black).