Activation of Rubber Crumb

Increasing the activity of the surface of rubber crumb can yield big 

There are a number of general techniques that can be used to enhance the surface activity of rubber crumb, including  

Russian workers [33] have used an electromagnetic field to activate the surface of EPDM crumb obtained from waste EPDM products. Having activated the EPDM crumb they then compounded it into EPDM automotive weather strip compounds based on Dutral TER 4038 rubber. Their results showed that the activated powder could be incorporated at levels of up to 20%, in the presence of 1% VTs-20KP process aid, without causing a significant increase in viscosity, or a reduction in profile stability or tensile strength. 

Glogauer [34] has reported on how an innovative atmospheric-pressure plasma technique allows in-line rubber and plastic surface treatment processes to become fully automated with total process control. The new process is claimed to achieve microfine cleaning, high surface activation and nanocoating in a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly way than traditional plasma activation techniques. 

Workers at the Chinese university of Yangzhou [35] have used microwaves to modify the surface of waste rubber crumb by devulcanising it and then blending it with NR in various proportions. These mixtures were then vulcanised and the mechanical properties, compression set, swelling behaviour and crosslink density investigated. The results obtained were compared with those of blends that had been prepared using crumb that had not been treated with microwaves. 

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