The limited options of suitable elastomers with adequate cost‐performance balance drive the necessity to introduce new materials in the oil & gas (O&G) application space. The relevance of a recently developed copolymer of chloroprene and acrylonitrile (referred to as acrylonitrile–chloroprene rubber or NCR) to O&G applications is described in this technical contribution. The new elastomer demonstrates adequate physical properties and reasonably good high and low‐temperature capabilities. It offers good resistance to several aqueous and non‐aqueous fluids with low volume swelling and retains its physical properties to reasonable extents while exposed to hot test oils. Acrylonitrile–chloroprene rubber has been found to sustain “sour gas” exposure. Good abrasion resistance, high tear strength, and remarkably high flex‐fatigue resistance coupled with low heat build‐up reflect its durability under dynamic conditions. In addition, acrylonitrile–chloroprene rubber can very well withstand the rapid gas decompression test at 25°C. This unique combination of attributes may allow acrylonitrile–chloroprene rubber to be considered as a candidate material for high‐performance O&G applications.
The curing system plays a vital role in designing rubber compounds for various industrial applications. Therefore, it is paramount to establish viable curing strategies for any new elastomer to explore its application potentials and commercial significance. Impacts of different curing regimes on the properties of a recently developed copolymer of chloroprene and acrylonitrile (acrylonitrile-chloroprene rubber, NCR) are reported here. Several primary accelerators (four from thiourea- and one from thiazolene product families) were used for curing the new rubber along with fixed loadings of zinc oxide (5 phr) and magnesium oxide (4 phr). Besides, curatives based on sulfur and peroxide were also evaluated. The influence of different curing systems on the rheological and physical properties of the copolymer was explored. It has been seen that the properties of the copolymer are considerably influenced by the different curing systems used. While ethylene thiourea (ETU) and propylene thiourea (PTU), as primary accelerators, provide the highest state of cure but may cause scorch. The use of trimethyl thiourea (TMU), on the other hand, results in the fastest rate and the most stable state of cure, good scorch safety, bin stability, and an overall good balance of properties. The sulfur-based crosslinking system induces good mechanical properties but causes limited bin stability, poor high-temperature compression set, and impaired heat resistance properties. As a curing agent, peroxide delivers the best bin stability in the rubber stocks but yields higher stiffness and limited aging resistance in the vulcanizates.
Impacts of different grades of carbon black (CB) on the properties of the newly developed copolymer of chloroprene and acrylonitrile are discussed here. Seven commercial grades of CB, from three generic categories based on their manufacturing: furnace black, thermal black, and acetylene black, encompassing a large range of surface areas, structures, and surface activities, are considered in this comprehensive study. The impacts exerted by the different CB on viscosity, cure characteristics, mechanical properties, and some functional features, such as resistance to abrasion, heat build‐up, heat aging resistance, and solvent‐resistance of the poly(acrylonitrile‐chloroprene) rubber (NCR) vulcanizates are investigated. Mooney viscosity, cross‐link density, and most of the physical properties are strongly influenced by the filler morphologies such as surface area and the structure of CB.
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