Journal of Materials Sciences and Applications 2015; 1(6): 300-305 Published online January 12, 2016 (http://www.aascit.org/journal/jmsa) ISSN: 2381-0998 (Print); ISSN: 2381-1005 (Online) Keywords Bromobutyl Rubber, Recycling, Gamma-radiation, Degradation, Chain Scission Received: December 3, 2015 Revised: December 17, 2015 Accepted: December 19, 2015 Study of Recycling Feasibility of Bromobutyl Rubber to Gamma Radiation Sandra R. Scagliusi * , Elisabeth C. L. Cardoso, Ademar B. Lugão Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares, São Paulo/SP, Brazil Email address saresca@ig.com.br (S. R. Scagliusi) Citation Sandra R. Scagliusi, Elisabeth C. L. Cardoso, Ademar B. Lugão. Study of Recycling Feasibility of Bromobutyl Rubber to Gamma Radiation. Journal of Materials Sciences and Applications. Vol. 1, No. 6, 2015, pp. 300-305. Abstract Polymeric materials (plastics and rubber) have been contributing in a continuously and raising way for the generation of litter and industrial wastes discarded in landfills. The implementation of new technologies for the reduction of polymeric materials, acceptable from the environmental viewpoint and at an effective cost, proved to be a great problem, due to complexities inherent for the re-use, especially of rubbers. Gamma ionizing radiation has capacity for changing structure and properties of polymeric materials and can be applied to almost all types of polymers; irradiation is an expectation for problem- solving of rubber wastes management that can be utilized as raw-materials or chemical additives. Bromobutyl rubber has excellent mechanical properties and oxidation resistance, as well as low gas and water vapor permeability. At the initial stage of irradiation the degradation of Bromobutyl rubber occurs predominantly via random chain-scission and chain-crosslinking may occur caused from the isoprene copolymerized units. The objective of this work is to develop controlled degradation processes (devulcanization) of Bromobutyl rubber and in order to characterize their availability to change and change its properties, such as strength, elongation, hardness, and rheological properties, etc. The experimental results obtained showed that the bromobutyl rubber irradiated to 25 kGy and subsequently sheared can be used as starting point for blending with virgin rubber. 1. Introduction Polymeric materials (plastics and rubber) attain a comprehensive and rising continuous proportion of litter and industrial wastes discarded in landfills. The implementation of new technologies for reduction of polymeric residues, acceptable under environmental viewpoint and at an effective cost, proved to be a great problem, due to inherent complexities for polymers re-use [1]. Rubbers have a very low natural decomposition [2], due to their chemical structure weathering conditions and to enzymatic and microorganisms degradation resistant. Rubber recovering is made difficult by its insolubility due to its cross-linked structures [3]. In addition, this tridimensional structure causes various problems related to recovering and reprocessing of these materials [4]. So, as previously mentioned the most of rubber wastes, especially tires, are discarded and disposed in landfills. In other situations, they are used as combustible and incinerated to produce power; in addition, costs for these operations are very high. Other ways of re-use of rubbers include: asphalts, shoe soles manufacturing, rubber gaskets, rainwater pipelines, floor paints on sport courts, industrial floors, besides carpets for