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(1) Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) is very susceptible to oxidative degradation unless an effective stabilizing agent is incorporated in the polymer during manufacture. (2) Degradation of SBR appears as discoloration or resinification during drying of the polymer or during storage. Changes in the polymer may appear as variation in Mooney viscosity or as an increase in gel content. (3) Deterioration of inadequately stabilized SBR may also show up during processing operations when the polymer is subjected to heat—as in the Banbury or on a hot mill. (4) Deterioration of SBR polymer will appear as degraded physical properties in the cured vulcanizate. (5) The rubber goods manufacturer will benefit from the use of a really effective SBR stabilizer incorporated in the polymer during manufacture or by adding additional stabilizer to provide more protection against heat degradation in his operations. (6) Tris(nonylated aryl) phosphite exhibits unusual effectiveness as a stabilizer for SBR. (7) The presently widely used method of salt-acid coagulation of SBR polymer leaves room for improvement as far as polymer stability is concerned. (8) The more effective SBR stabilizers exhibit benefits in the aging of SBR vulcanizates.

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A novel method for producing a cellular cured rubber product at room temperature has been developed. Pourable liquid polysulfide polymers are treated with a conventional oxidizing curative and selected water-sensitive or oxidation-sensitive blowing agents. Standing at ambient temperature the viscous liquid mixture gradually “rises” and cures to form a finely porous cellular rubber product. Conventional curatives employed include oxidizing agents such as lead peroxide and cumene hydroperoxide. These convert terminal or pendant thiol groups in the polysulfide polymer chains to chain-connecting disulfide linkages. Water is a byproduct of the curing reaction. In the presence of water-sensitive blowing agents such as, (1) metal salts of azodicarboxylic acid or, (2) metal hydride compounds the water produced in the cure reacts to form copious amounts of nitrogen or of hydrogen. Alternatively, oxidation-sensitive blowing agents such as p, p′-oxybis-(benzene sulfonyl hydrazide) react directly with the oxidizing curative to form nitrogen gas. The blowing reactions are concurrent with cure and efficient and controllable expansion can be achieved. The unique process offers possible economies and special properties in applications of liquid polysulfide rubbers as potting compounds, joint sealants, solvent resistant forms, and cold casting compounds.