Abstract

Automobile wiper blades are generally treated with chlorine to lower their friction coefficient with the windshield surface. This treatment could affect the crosslink density measurement of rubber vulcanizates, a material used in windshield wipers, which would consequently alter its chemical and physical properties. Therefore, this study evaluated the in-fluence of chlorination on crosslink density measurements of natural rubber (NR) vulcanizates using a vehicle wiper blade. A method for determining the degree of chlorination was developed where the interaction parameter between the rubber and the swelling solvent was corrected. A decrease in the rubber sample swelling ratio was observed upon chlorina-tion, and the chlorination penetrated less than 1% of the sample thickness. The chlorinated NR was assumed to be chloroprene rubber (CR), which was used to correct the interaction parameter. The results showed the CR contributed approximately 7% to the parameter.

Keywords: wiper blade;chlorination;crosslink density;interaction parameter