This work reports the synthesis and successful use of novel benzoxazines as reinforcing resins in polyisoprene rubber compounds. For this purpose, three new dibenzoxazines containing one (4DTP-fa) or two heteroatoms of sulfur (3DPDS-fa and 4DPDS-fa) were synthesized following a Mannich condensation reaction. The structural features of each benzoxazine precursor were characterized by 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman. The new precursors showed well suited reactivity as characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and rheology and were incorporated in rubber compounds. After the mixing, the curing profiles, morphologies and mechanical properties of the materials were tested. These results show that the structural feature of each isomer was significantly affecting its behavior during the curing of the rubber compounds. Among the tested benzoxazines, 3DPDS-fa exhibited the best ability to reinforce the rubber compound even compared to common phenolic resin. These results prove the feasibility to reinforce rubber compounds with benzoxazine resins as a possible alternative to replace conventional phenolic resins. This paper provides the first guide to use benzoxazines as reinforcing resins for rubber applications, based on their curing kinetics.
Keywords: benzoxazines; disulfide; polyisoprene; reinforcing resins; rubber.