Characterization of Rubber Materials by Multi-Functional Pyrolyzer GC-MS Approach with Pyrolyzate Library

A comprehensive study of the organic components in rubber was carried out by using a multi-functional Pyrolyzer-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry system (Py-GCMS). The study was carried by first determining the appropriate temperature to extract additives and pyrolyzate of the rubber sample through Evolved Gas Analysis (EGA). The rubber additives were evolved at the temperature range of 200°C-300°C. Upon further heating to 400°C, the rubber polymer backbone broken down different oligomer fragments. These additives and pyrolyzates were directed separately into GC separating columns through the Heart Cut Analysis. With the aid of MS library, the additives of rubber were assigned as Sulfur, 2-Mercaptobenzothiazole (vulcanization agent), N-Cyclohexyl-2-benzhiazolamine(vulcanization inhibitor) and 1,4-Benzenediamine,N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl (antioxidant). The identity of rubber was determined as Ethylene-Propylene Diene through matching the rubber's pyrogram with pyrolyzate library with similarity index of 89%.