Fig. 3 illustrates the water absorbency capabilities of the WSNR compounds and vulcanizates, either alone or with the addition of 10 phr PEO with or without the coaddition of 2 phr TMPTMA. With each given blend system, the WSNR compounds exhibited a higher water absorbency
(e.g. 2.6-fold to 4.7-fold higher at 2 days of immersion) than that of the corresponding vulcanizate at all time points.