Analysis of Vulcanized Rubbers. Influence of Accelerators on the Determination of Free Sulfur by the Copper Spiral Method
Abstract The copper spiral method is being inserted in a revised edition of the “British Standard Methods of Testing Vulcanized Rubber”, and this raises the question of what sulfur compounds react as “free” sulfur. In this method, “free” sulfur is considered to be that part of the sulfur which is present in the acetone extract and which reacts with a copper spiral, placed in the acetone during the extraction, with the production of copper sulfide, the amount of which can be estimated after its removal from the acetone. Since most accelerators contain sulfur, it is obvious that the presence of accelerators or accelerator fragments is a potential source of error. Fourteen accelerators of various types were therefore examined, and it was found that some react with copper, producing compounds which evolve hydrogen sulfide on treatment with hydrochloric acid.