revisedadditivesforrubber.doc.docVIP

Polymer Science Polymer Additives and Compounding Additives for Rubbers Dr. Utpal Kumar Niyogi Deputy Director Division of material Science Shri Ram Institute for Industrial Research 19, University Road Delhi – 110007 (23.07.2007) CONTENTS Introduction Vulcanizing agents Accelerators Activators Retarders Fillers Antidegradants Softeners Peptizers Colours and Pigments Tackyfying agents Blowing agents Key Words Vulcanization, Recipe, Crosslink, Pendant, Hinder, Scorch, Synergistic, Reinforcement, Cluster, Structure, Aggregate, Agglomerate, Nerve, Hysterisis, Tack Introduction In its original state an elastomer is generally not very strong, does not maintain its shape after a large deformation, can be very sticky having even its consistency as chewing gum, has limited resistance to solvents and is prone to attack by oxygen, ozone etc. In a nutshell, useful articles cannot be made from it without modification. It is therefore necessary to blend an elastomer with certain additives to optimize properties to meet a given service application or set of performance parameters. This process of blending of various ingredients with elastomers, each having a specific function either in processing, vulcanization or end use of the product is known as ‘compounding’ and the formulation thus developed is a ‘recipe’. All the ingredients used are normally given in amounts based on a total of 100 parts of the rubber and used with a notation ‘phr’. Thus when comparing various recipes, the effects of varying any ingredient used is easily recognized when the physical properties or processing parameters are compared. Product performance requirements will dictate the initial selections of the compounding ingredients. These additives must be environmentally safe, meet occupational health and safety requirements, be processable in the product manufacturing facilities and be cost effective. Compounded rubber has many unique characteristics not found in other