Development of Biodiesel-Resistant Nitrile Rubber Compositions

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Biodiesel presents a promising alternative to petroleum diesel due to its similar physical properties and enhanced environmental advantages, including reduced pollutant emissions, nontoxicity, renewability, and biodegradability. However, there are significant differences in the chemical properties of biodiesel and petroleum diesel, necessitating an assessment of the compatibility of materials commonly used in diesel applications. Notably, nitrile rubber (NBR) has not been recommended for biodiesel use, and prior research has not thoroughly explored the interaction between NBR and biodiesel or sought to improve NBR production for this purpose. This work investigates the resistance of various NBR types and formulations to biodiesel, revealing that higher acrylonitrile content and carboxylation enhance rubber resistance. It introduces a novel method using accelerators to create biodiesel-resistant formulations, highlighting the critical role of accelerator choice on resistance levels. Compositions developed from an effective vulcanization system exhibit the greatest resistance to chemical degradation. Additionally, the study analyzes the impact on physical properties such as tensile strength, hardness, and elongation at break, demonstrating the potential of these materials for applications involving biodiesel contact. Felipe N. Linhares, Ph.D., leads research at the Polymer Processing Laboratory of Rio de Janeiro State University