Brief information concerning
Rubber Materials in General
WCR rubber materials
Rubber materials are blends of additives. Each rubber
material is unique. In some cases the materials from different
suppliers are very similar, and in other cases they are not.
The most important ingredient is the POLYMER, which
may be from 15 to 70% (usually around 50%) by weight of the rubber material.
A typical formulation may look like: POLYMER 50% Fillers 40% Softener 5% Activators 2% Curative 1% Accelerators 1% Antioxidant 1%
All additives (type and concentration) effect the properties
of the rubber material, thus influencing the final
properties of the end product.
A rubber material developed for a certain product is seldom
useful in other applications. For technically more advanced
products there are always specially developed materials to
fulfill the specific demand.
WCR Rubber
materials are specifically
Designed for PHE applications.
Polymer types
Nature Rubber (NR) is the only commercially used
non-synthetic polymer type. Main applications are for
dynamic and abrasive environments. Typical markets are
automotive and mining industries.
The synthetic polymers are manufactured to achieve special
properties that Natural Rubber does not have. Examples for
such properties are resistance to oils and special
chemicals, high temperature and weather (ozone, UV-light).
The standard rubber polymer for weather resistance or
water/steam resistance is EPDM (Ethylene-Propylene Rubber),
while Nitrile rubber (NBR) is the standard rubber polymer
for oil resistance.
Some other examples of polymer
types are:
Chlorinated Polyethylene (CM)
Acrylic Rubber (ACM)
Polysulphide Rubber (T)
Polyurethane Rubber (AU<EU)
Polynorbornene (PNR)
Polypropylene (PO)
Fluorocarbon Rubber (FKM)
Perfluoroelastomer (FFKM)
and a lot
more...
The curing/vulcanization of rubber is a chemical reaction,
where the curatives will alter the polymer being a high
viscous liquid to be a solid, thus giving the material its
elasticity.
WCR works
with the worlds leading
suppliers of raw rubber materials. |