Thermoreversible cross-linking of rubber

Cross-linking of rubbers is crucial as it provides good elasticity and high strength. Unfortunately, cross-linking also prevents melt reprocessability, making it very difficult to recycle cross-linked rubber products, at least in a cradle to cradle context. The thesis describes the development of recyclable rubber products via thermoreversible cross-linking, particularly via Diels-Alder chemistry in order to obtain materials that combine the material properties of a permanently cross-linked rubber at service conditions with the melt (re)processability of a non-cross-linked rubber.

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Dissertation: http://hdl.handle.net/11370/a641c07f-f4d8-4e4e-84d4-3a9de38c172e