Rubbers polyurethane elastomers

Modem chemistry has created a number of new mold-making materials with improved performance. These include organic resins for rigid molds as well as thermoplastic vinyl rubbers, polyurethane elastomers and, finally, RTV-2 silicone rubbers. The latter have become more and more used, in spite of their relatively high price, because they are the only materials that offer the ideal combination of properties essential for high-performance molding applications. 

Some polymers, however, exhibit typically elastic, or rubbery, behaviour in the rubbery region these are the elastomers. They include conventional natural and synthetic rubbers, polyurethane elastomers, thermoplastic rubbers and plasticized PVC. Elastomers are characterized by highly elastic properties they can be strained, often to several hundred per cent, and... 

One partieular form of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers is the elastic fibre known as spandex fibre. Like the usual thermoplastic rubbers these materials consist of hard and soft segments but to qualify for the term spandex by the US Federal Trade Commission the polymer used should contain at least 85% of segmented polyurethane. The first commercial material of this type was introduced by Du Pont in 1958 (Lycra). Several other similar materials have since been introduced including Dorlastan (Bayer), Spanzelle (Courtaulds) and Vyrene (US Rubber). 

If polypropylene is too hard for the purpose envisaged, then the user should consider, progressively, polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate and plasticised PVC. If more rubberiness is required, then a vulcanising rubber such as natural rubber or SBR or a thermoplastic polyolefin elastomer may be considered. If the material requires to be rubbery and oil and/or heat resistant, vulcanising rubbers such as the polychloroprenes, nitrile rubbers, acrylic rubbers or hydrin rubbers or a thermoplastic elastomer such as a thermoplastic polyester elastomer, thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer or thermoplastic polyamide elastomer may be considered. Where it is important that the elastomer remain rubbery at very low temperatures, then NR, SBR, BR or TPO rubbers may be considered where oil resistance is not a consideration. If, however, oil resistance is important, a polypropylene oxide or hydrin rubber may be preferred. Where a wide temperature service range is paramount, a silicone rubber may be indicated. The selection of rubbery materials has been dealt with by the author elsewhere. ... 

Another area of recent interest is covulcanization in block copolymers, thermoplastic rubbers, and elasto-plastic blends by developing an interpenetrating network (IPN). A classical example for IPN formation is in polyurethane elastomer blended acrylic copolymers [7]. 

When metal inserts require hermetic sealing, consider coating them with a flexible elastomer such as an RTV rubber, polyurethane, or epoxy system. A second method is to design an annular space or reservoir at one end of the insert from which to dispense the flexible elastomers to effectively create a hermetic seal. Flexible sealants are also used to compensate for differences in the thermal coefficient of expansion between metal and plastic. 

Kumar G., Neelakantan N.R., and Subramanian N., Mechanical behaviour of polyacetal and thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer toughened polyacetal, Polym. Plastics TechnoL Eng., 32, 33, 1993. Newmann W. et al.. Preprints, 4th Rubber Technology Conference, London, May 22-25, 1962. Farrissey W.J. and Shah T.M., Handbook of Thermoplastic Elastomers (Walker B.M. and Rader C.P., eds.). Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 1988. 

When a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer is heated above the melting point of its hard blocks, the chains can flow and the polymer can be molded to a new shape. When the polymer cools, new hard blocks form, recreating the physical crosslinks. We take advantage of these properties to mold elastomeric items that do not need to be cured like conventional rubbers. Scrap moldings, sprues, etc. can be recycled directly back to the extruder, which increases the efficiency of this process. In contrast, chemically crosslinked elastomers, which are thermosetting polymers, cannot be reprocessed after they have been cured. 

A method of manufacturing rubber articles by pouring a compounded latex into an absorbent hollow mould the skin of rubber thus formed is removed, dried and vulcanised. The term is also apphed to the pouring into moulds of liquid polymer systems based on silicone or polyurethane elastomers. 

Atomic force microscopy and attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy were used to study the changes occurring in the micromorphology of a single strut of flexible polyurethane foam. A mathematical model of the deformation and orientation in the rubbery phase, but which takes account of the harder domains, is presented which may be successfully used to predict the shapes of the stress-strain curves for solid polyurethane elastomers with different hard phase contents. It may also be used for low density polyethylene at different temperatures. Yield and rubber crosslink density are given as explanations of departure from ideal elastic behaviour. 17 refs. 

Genthane Polyurethane elastomers General Tire Rubber... 

S—EB—S (compounds) polyurethane/elastomer block copolymers polyester/elastomer block copolymers polyamide/elastomer block copolymers polyetherimide/polysiloxane block copolymers polypropylene/EPDM or EPR blends polypropylene/EPDM dynamic vulcanizates polypropylene/butyl rubber dynamic vulcanizates polypropylene/natural rubber dynamic vulcanizates polypropylene/nitrile rubber dynamic vulcanizates PVC/ nitrile rubber blends... 

Hydroxy-functionalized liquid rubbers can be prepared from myrcene that are suitable for polyurethane elastomer formation, and as rubber toughening agents ... 

Elastomers include natural rubber (polyisoprene), synthetic polyisoprene, styrene-butadiene rubbers, butyl rubber (isobutylene-isoprene), polybutadiene, ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM), neoprene (polychloroprene), acrylonitrile-butadiene rubbers, polysulfide rubbers, polyurethane rubbers, crosslinked polyethylene rubber and polynorbomene rubbers. Typically in elastomer mixing the elastomer is mixed with other additives such as carbon black, fillers, oils/plasticizers and accelerators/antioxidants. 

MAJOR USES Used in the manufacture of azo dyes, rubber and plastic, printing ink, textiles, plastics and crayons used as a curing agent for polyurethane elastomers, isocyanate containing polymers and solid urethane plastics used as an intermediate for the detection of gold and production of pigments. 

During the past three decades a few groups of materials have been developed that could be considered as being in this category. Designated as thermoplastic elastomers, they include (1) styrene-diene-styrene triblock copolymers (2) thermoplastic polyester elastomers and thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers and (3) thermoplastic polyolefin rubbers (polyolefin blends). 

Closely related to the polyether-ester thermoplastic elastomers are thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers, which consist of polyurethane or urethane terminated polyurea hard blocks, with Tg above normal ambient temperature, separated by soft blocks of polyol, which in the mass are rubbery in nature (see Section 4.11 for more details). The main uses of thermoplastic rubbers (e.g., Estane by Goodrich) are for seals, bushes, convoluted bellows, and bearings. 

One particular form of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer is the elastic fiber known as Spandex. Several commercial materials of this type have been introduced, which include Lycra (Du Pont), Dorlastan (Bayer) Spanzelle (Courtaulds), and Vyrene (U.S. Rubber). Spandex fibers have higher modulus, tensile strength, and resistance to oxidation, and are able to produce finer deniers than natural rubber. They have enabled lighter-weight garments to be produced. Staple fiber blends of Spandex fiber with non-elastic fibers have also been introduced. 

EPDM rubber Polystyrene Polyurethane elastomer, thermoplastic extruded pipe Polysulfone resin extruded profiles, doorframes Polyvinyl chloride, high-impact extruded profiles, fence posts Polyvinyl chloride, high-impact extruded profiles, furniture Polyvinyl chloride, high-impact extruded profiles, windows Polyvinyl chloride, high-impact extruded sheet Polysulfone resin extruded/molded goods Benzothiazyl disulfide extruding compounds Ammonium polyacrylate extrusion... 

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