STUDYING THE PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SPATIAL GRID OF STRUCTURED STYRENE-BUTADIENE POLYMERS FOR ORTHOPAEDIC INSOLES

Abstract

Structuring reactions of polymer materials should be attributed to intermolecular reactions.The process of structuring is accompanied by a modification of the backbone polymer macromolecules both by the addition of fragments of cross-linking agent and through the development process of isomerization and cyclization of the macromolecules of polymers under the action of cross-linking agents or their transformation products. The process of formation of cross-linked structures of hydrocarbon polymers is a complex and multistage chemical reaction.

The formation of cross-linked structures of hydrocarbon polymers, such as SCS-30 and SKS-50 with a latent curing agent LR-3 is considered. The results of studies of the effect

of the latent curing agent LR-3 and sulfur vulcanizing groups on the physical parameters of the spatial grid of the structured styrene-butadiene rubbers are given. It is experimentally proved that new spatially cross-linked styrene-butadiene-based elastomers based on the latent hardener-3 possess all the properties inherent to the polymer mesh. The most significant features include its ability to undergo large reversible deformations, which is important for orthopaedic insoles. It is experimentally proven that the density of spatially structured grids for different compositions is as follows: for the polymer compositions based on rubber SKS-30 with a latent curing agent LR-3 is 1,26·10²⁷ sm^-3; for a composition based on the SCS-50 rubber with a latent curing agent LR-3 is equal to 1,29·10²⁷ sm^-3. The density of sulfur vulcanizates: 2,17·10³¹ sm^-3 and 2,17·10³¹ sm^-3 respectively for the polymer compositions SKS-30 and SKS-50. On the basis of experimental data, it is establisbed that the most promising material as orthopaedic insoles is the polymer composition based on styrene - butadiene rubber SKS-30 with a latent curing agent LR-3.