TITLE: RUBBER COMPOUNDING INTRODUCTION: In almost all applications, raw rubber is mixed with several other ingredients to give

it certain desirable properties. The basic ingredients added are: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) Raw rubber or blend of raw rubbers Vulcanising system Fillers and extenders Protective systems Materials to aid manufacturing process

When designing the mix formulation, the compounder must take into consideration the vulcanization properties essential to satisfy the service requirements but also the cost of the raw materials involved and the production process. The principle task of designing is therefore concerned with properties of final vulcanization, price and processability. MATERIALS AND APPARATUS Equipment: Two roll mill, Balance, Mill Knives, Rheometer Additives: Natural rubber Stearic acid Zinc Oxide Carbon black (HAF) Process oil Anti Oxidant Wax (Micro-crystalline) MBTS DPG S PROCEDURE The Additives given above were first measured to the ratio given above. Then the two roll mill was cleaned and confirmed that nothing was left in the nip. The rolls were first set to an enlarged nip and the rubber was fed into the mill and allowed to pass through several time. Then the nip was decreased and the material was fed onto the front roll. The filler was then gradually added in small quantities with the solids being added before the addition of liquids. After the initial portion of filler was added the remaining amount of reinforcing filler was incorporated with an addition of plasticizers. Then the band was cut and folded several times and the curatives were added last. When the mixing of the batch was complete, the band was removed from the mill and was cooled. Then the plasticity was measured using the rheometer and a graph of torque vs. time was obtained. 100 2 5 25 5 1.5 1.0 1.5 0.2 2.0

DISCUSSION In rubber compounding, the activators, fillers, process oil, antioxidants and accelerators under mentioned for achieving the under mentioned purposes. Activators: Required for the realization of the full effects of accelerators. Filler: Fillers are used to enhance properties such as tensile strength, stiffness, abrasion resistance and tear resistance of vulcanized rubber. Process oil: Used to give plasticity to the vulcanized rubber Antioxidant: Rubbers that retain double bonds in their vulcanized structure are sensitive to oxygen and are subjected to a process called aging. To avoid this aging from oxygen antioxidants are added. Accelerators: Accelerators are added to speed up the vulcanization process. The graph given below shows the variation of a torque acting on rubber against time.

In the above graph first of all, there is a decrease in the torque since the viscosity of rubber decreases. However after achieving a minimum torque value, the torque again increases due to the formation of cross links. The accelerators results in the reduction of the torque while the addition of the antioxidants results in its increase. The mixing time has an effect on the properties of the rubber compound. When time is increased, due to cross linking, the plasticity of the rubber increases. However, a prolonged mixing time will result in the decrease of the plastic nature of the rubber compound. When the vulcanization temperature is increased, the speed of the vulcanization process is increased and the required properties are achieved in a shorter time. However, if the

temperature is increased to a too higher value, the properties which were achieved will be lost since the very high heat produced will result in the cross links being broken. CONCLUSION Rubber compounding is basically mixing various ingredients with rubber in order to achieve a desired set of properties. The main ingredients mixed to natural rubber are activators, fillers, process oil, antioxidants, accelerators and sulpher. Other than the ingredients added, the mixing time and the vulcanization temperature also have an affect on the final product properties. REFERENCE Billimeyer, Jr., Fred W., Textbook of Polymer Science, John Wiley & Sons, 2003, 507518p.