The automotive sector relies heavily on the use of rubbers such
as ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM) to manufacture parts.
Consequently, this creates a large volume of waste that must be
recycled eventually. Polymeric materials do not decompose easily,
and therefore, disposal of waste polymers is a serious environmental
concern. Rubber recycling is growing in importance
worldwide because of increasing raw material costs, diminishing
resources, and the growing awareness of environmental issues and
sustainability [1]. One of the major problems until now has been
the limited use of waste rubber in real recycling loops, i.e., reuse in
new rubber products. Improvement of the properties of waste
rubber by developing a more selective breakdown process is an
important issue and a global challenge [2]. ASTM STP 184 A [3]
defines devulcanization as “a combination of depolymerization,
oxidation, and increased plasticity” because each of these processes
usually occurs during reclamation. Actually, devulcanization is the
reverse of vulcanization.