A Guide to Rubber – Components of A Rubber Compound
In part 1 of our “Guide to Rubber” series, we provided a general overview of rubber. If you recall, we discussed the need to crosslink rubber to develop the toughness and strength that is associated with rubber parts. This leads us to outlining the components of a rubber compound.
See below for the components and their definitions.
- Rubber base polymer
- Fillers: Fillers are typically carbon black, clay, or calcium carbonate. They are used to improve rubber product properties and reduce formulation costs. Fillers can increase tensile strength, hardness, and resistance to tear and abrasion.
- Process Aids: As the name implies, these aid in the processing of rubber; both in the mixing process and the molding process.
- Activator: Activators form chemical complexes with the accelerators, which further activate the curing process.
- Antidegradents: Antidegradents are added to protect rubber from oxidation, ozonation, and aging.
- Accelerator: Accelerators make the sulfur interlinking reaction occur faster and more efficiently.
- Cure Agent: The cure agent is usually sulfur, but peroxide is also often used.
Interested in learning more about the components of a rubber compound? Contact one of our specialists today!
Read Other Blog Posts:
Related posts
Reduced Production Time with a More Reliable Supply Chain – Button Extenders Manufactured at Panova
For many customers of custom seals and related small parts, the biggest hurdle is establishing quick, reliable product delivery. It’s often such seemingly simple production challenges which require some of the most innovative solutions from your supplier. The...
Designing for Rubber Molding: Engineering Best Practices for Tolerances, Shrinkage, Parting Lines, and Draft Angles
In rubber molding, early design decisions can have the most significant impact on your end product quality, cost, and overall manufacturability. Whether you're developing a custom seal, grommet, or complex vibration isolator, optimizing your designs for the rubber...
What Is DFM? Why Design for Manufacturability Is Critical in Modern Manufacturing
Many engineers are well-versed in design for manufacturability (DFM) when it comes to injection molded plastics – a process that demands uniquely optimized designs, even for basic products. But DFM is obviously not limited to only plastic materials. Whether you’re...
Subscribe to our Blog!
Stay in the loop on the latest Panova news, trends in product development, case studies, and other stories on how we Simply Solve product design challenges. Sign up for new blog posts alerts today!