TY - JOUR

T1 - Investigation on strategies for optimizing process definition in rubber processing: A study on mechanical and chemical properties of vulcanizates as basis for the development of a new calculation model for quality prediction

AU - Traintinger, Martin

AU - Kerschbaumer, Roman C.

AU - Hornbachner, Michaela

AU - Lechner, Bernhard

AU - Lucyshyn, Thomas

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors. Journal of Applied Polymer Science published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

PY - 2024/2/10

Y1 - 2024/2/10

N2 - Rubber compounds may exhibit significant batch variations due to multiple different ingredients mixed in one compound. Hence, defining the manufacturing process for constant part quality can be challenging. Common strategies in considering batch variations in rubber processing include the determination of reaction kinetics, and the definition of process parameters according to normalized vulcanization isotherms. Thereby, maintenance of the degree of cure is targeted. With this path, information on the mechanical properties of vulcanizates is lost, despite its visibility from the kinetic data and part quality assurance is missed. This contribution points out the differences obtained for parts produced to the same degree of cure at various temperatures and intends to emphasize new strategies in process definitions. Therefore, compression molded parts were produced from styrene-butadien rubber, which was then characterized with mechanical and chemical methods. Each of the methods revealed a significant difference in part behavior, which were manufactured to the same degrees of cure but at different temperatures. It was concluded that a temperature-dependent reaction rate should be considered when quality maintenance is targeted in the production. Only then will it be possible to predict the properties adequately, with simultaneous effect of enhancing sustainability policies in rubber processing.

AB - Rubber compounds may exhibit significant batch variations due to multiple different ingredients mixed in one compound. Hence, defining the manufacturing process for constant part quality can be challenging. Common strategies in considering batch variations in rubber processing include the determination of reaction kinetics, and the definition of process parameters according to normalized vulcanization isotherms. Thereby, maintenance of the degree of cure is targeted. With this path, information on the mechanical properties of vulcanizates is lost, despite its visibility from the kinetic data and part quality assurance is missed. This contribution points out the differences obtained for parts produced to the same degree of cure at various temperatures and intends to emphasize new strategies in process definitions. Therefore, compression molded parts were produced from styrene-butadien rubber, which was then characterized with mechanical and chemical methods. Each of the methods revealed a significant difference in part behavior, which were manufactured to the same degrees of cure but at different temperatures. It was concluded that a temperature-dependent reaction rate should be considered when quality maintenance is targeted in the production. Only then will it be possible to predict the properties adequately, with simultaneous effect of enhancing sustainability policies in rubber processing.

UR - https://doi.org/10.1002/app.54901

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85177466901&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/app.54901

DO - 10.1002/app.54901

M3 - Article

VL - 141.2024

JO - Journal of applied polymer science

JF - Journal of applied polymer science

SN - 0021-8995

IS - 6

M1 - e54901

ER -