Pressure-sensitive reclaim rubber

In addition to widespread use as a blend in asphalt/rubber sealants for roofing and other construction applications, reclaim rubber adhesives have been used as an insulation adhesive, as a pipe wrap adhesive, and as an ingredient in some pressure sensitive adhesives. Of interest is the fact that virtually every telephone installation in the United States before 1985 that required a cable splice used a reclaim rubber adhesive. 

In addition to pressure-sensitive adhesives, elastomers go into mastic compounds that find wide use in the construction industry. Neoprene and reclaimed-rubber mastics are used to bond gypsum board and plywood flooring to wood-framing members. Often, the... 

Elastomeric adhesives are natural or synthetic polymers with superior toughness and elongation. Examples of elastomeric adhesives include natural rubber, reclaimed rubber, butyl rubber, polyisobutylene, nitrile rubber, styrene-butadiene-rubber, etc.l Elastomeric adhesives are supplied as solvent solutions, latex cements, pressure sensitive tapes, and single- or multi-component nonvolatile liquid or pastes.[ 1 However, they are usually supplied in liquid form. Most are solvent dispersions or water emulsions. The service temperature is up to 204°C (400°F). They never melt, have excellent flexibility, but low bond strength. The main application of elastomeric adhesives is on unstressed joints on lightweight materials (e.g., joints in flexure). Hence, they are not considered structural adhesives. 

Most pressure-sensitive masscoats contain a blend of elastomers—natural rubber, reclaim and SBR—with tackifiers of low or medium molecular weight, antioxidants, etc. These are applied to the web-tape or label backing from solutions but the newer thermoplastic elastomers —block copolymers of styrene with is-oprene or butadiene—can be applied from melt. Where excellent color and resistance to light and oxidation are needed, the higher priced acrylic ester copolymers are preferred. Polyisobutylene, also resistant to ultraviolet degradation, is utilized for removable labels. 

In order to reduce more effectively the environmental loads, use of recycled materials or carbon-neutral natural materials should be considered. Reclaimed rubbers are often used as the raw material of Pressure Sensitive Adhesive (PSA). Polystyrene foam used as shipping supplies can be solved with solvents and used as a raw material for adhesives. As such, recycled materials can be used to produce adhesives for the purposes of reducing environmental impacts and costs. 

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