Investigating the effects of sequential aging temperature profiles on the response of neoprene rubber

We conducted a comprehensive investigation to understand the effects of sequential aging temperature profiles on Neoprene rubber, aiming to provide a clearer understanding of the purpose, methodology, findings, and implications of our work. Two sequential thermal aging conditions were applied to the Neoprene rubber samples in a controlled, moisture-free environment. The characterization of the aged samples included crosslinking density analysis using swelling tests, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and uni-axial tensile tests. Our study focused on unraveling the changes in the physical and mechanical properties of the Neoprene matrix resulting from thermal aging. Notably, we found that the degradation of Neoprene was influenced by both the temperature and the order of the aging profiles. Higher temperatures led to increased cross-linking density and improved thermal stability, indicating a prevalence of oxidation cross-linking over chain scission. This led to the creation of a more compact network structure within the material. Moreover, we introduced the concept of damage capacity, which revealed that different mechanisms of damage affect the material’s toughness with varying degrees of impact. This understanding emphasizes the limited capacity for damage and subsequent mechanisms’ reliance on the remaining capacity. The significance of our work lies in shedding light on the interplay between thermal aging conditions and the behavior of Neoprene rubber. The findings provide valuable insights for material design and have implications for a range of applications.