Swelling Behaviors of Maleic Anhydride-Grafted EPDM by Treatment with Dichloroactic Acid

Swelling behaviors of raw (Specimen-R) and compressed (Specimen-C) samples of maleic anhydride-grafted EPDM (MAH-g-EPDM) depending on the treatment with dichloroacetic acid were investigated. Structural characteristics of the samples were analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). When the samples were not treated with dichloroacetic acid, the swelling ratio of Specimen-R was greater than that of Specimen-C by about twice and the swelling ratio change was negligible though the process of swelling and drying was repeated. When the samples were treated with dichloroacetic acid, the first swelling ratios were increased but the second ones were decreased. For the Specimen-C, the swelling ratio of the sample without the dichloroacetic acid treatment and the second swelling ratio of the sample treated with dichloroacetic acid were nearly the same. However, for the Specimen-R, the second swelling ratio of the sample treated with dichloroacetic acid was strikingly lower than that of the sample without the dichloroacetic acid treatment. The swelling ratio change according to the dichloroacetic acid treatment was explained by dissociation of the existing crosslinks and formation of new crosslinks.