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!
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