Chemical micro-crosslinking modification of SEBS-based thermoplastic elastomers via a strategy of thermal decomposition of organic peroxides

Abstract As an environmentally friendly material with both high elasticity and excellent processing properties, styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS) has attractive application potential in many fields. Nevertheless, the linear internal structure of SEBS gives rise to issues such as limited abrasion resistance and diminished resilience. This study introduces a novel micro-crosslinking strategy to enhance SEBS/PP/oil blends by utilizing the thermal decomposition of three organic peroxides, dicumyl peroxide (DCP), dibenzoyl peroxide (BPO) and 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-di (tert-butylperoxy) hexane (DBPH). The effects of peroxide type and dosage were systematically investigated. The results demonstrate that this method successfully transforms the polymer morphology, yielding a superior balance of properties. The modified elastomers exhibited significant simultaneous enhancements in tensile strength, ultimate elongation, hardness, wear resistance, and rebound resilience, all while retaining suitable processability for practical applications. DCP was identified as the most effective peroxide for achieving optimal overall performance. This work confirms that chemical micro-crosslinking is a highly effective strategy for performance enhancement, broadening the application potential of SEBS-based elastomers in more demanding fields.