ELASTOMERS AND PLASTICS Application of Horikx’s Theory for devulcanized Scrap Rubbers

End-of-life of scrap rubber is an important environmental issue. Many studies have tried to develop or to improve recycling methods by means of devulcanization processes, if possible in a continuous way. In this frame, the Horikx’s theory is widely used to characterize devulcanized rubbers especially as a method to assess the degree and the quality of the devulcanization process. 

A lot of methods have been developed to regenerate waste rubber including thermomechanical, chemical, ultrasound assisted or microwave assisted processes. All the processes of reclaiming aim at transforming the three-dimensional network in a structure that gives thermoplastic behaviour to the material. This new structure is tricky to characterize because of the presence of a residual network, or clusters with various degrees of cross-linking and a collection of free polymer chains with different sizes and architectures.