I am carrying out research studies on improvement of rubber properties. while carrying out swelling behavior analysis with toluene, the sample is showing great deviation from the results showed in literature. The rubber sample synthesized from pre-vulcanised latex is swelling rapidly when immersed in toluene compared to that shown in the literature sources. how can this be avoided.
Dear Mr. Bhattaru
This is a very complex question, swelling behaviour in elastomers is something I am writing a paper now myself. You could do it by playing with the fillers and other additives in the Latex-rubber. The best recommendation to my knowledge I can give you, is to check into the Hansen solubility parameters (HSP). You want that latex rubber to be further away from the HSP-values of toluene.
On HSP, I strongly recommend you to look into a book:
"Hansen solubility parameters, a user's handbook" by Charles M. Hansen
It is a big book, but I assure you it will give you good information on swelling behaviour.
PS: be skeptical on results on this topic in literature, often it lacks crucial information how they came to their results.
Thank you sir Detlef Jannes for your valuable information.