Modern rubber processing technology

Rubber processing refers to the process of converting raw rubber into various rubber products. From the initial raw materials to the final product, rubber processing involves a series of complex steps and processes. With the continuous development of technology, modern rubber processing technology has made significant progress in improving product quality, production efficiency, and environmental performance. This article will provide a detailed introduction to modern rubber processing technology from the aspects of overview, raw materials, processing, quality control, and development trends.

1、 Overview

Rubber processing began in the early 19th century, when people began to explore methods for converting natural rubber into various useful products. After more than a century of progress, the rubber processing industry has continuously developed, gradually involving various synthetic rubber and special rubber. Modern rubber processing technology combines various methods such as physics, chemistry, and biology, and has been widely used in fields such as automobiles, aerospace, construction, medical, and electronic products.

2、 Raw materials

The main raw materials for rubber processing include various natural rubber and synthetic rubber, such as styrene butadiene rubber, butadiene rubber, chloroprene rubber, silicone rubber, etc. In addition, a series of additives and coordination agents are also needed, such as vulcanizing agents, accelerators, fillers, softeners, and antioxidants. These raw materials play an important role in the rubber processing process, which can improve the processing performance, mechanical properties, and aging resistance of rubber.

3、 Processing process

The modern rubber processing process includes the following main steps:

Plasticization: Mixing rubber raw materials with additives and compounding agents, mechanical stirring and heat refining to make the rubber softer and easier to process.

Mixing: Through a series of physical and chemical reactions, the plasticized rubber mixture is made into rubber blocks or particles with a certain shape and size.

Extrusion: The rubber block or particle is passed through the extruder die to create a continuous rubber strip or hose.

Vulcanization: By heating and pressing, the rubber molecular chains undergo cross-linking reactions, improving the hardness and strength of the rubber.

Stretching: After vulcanization, the rubber strip or hose is stretched to a certain length through a drawing machine and cooled.

Shaping: Bend the stretched rubber product into the desired shape and perform cooling and shaping.

In the above process, modern rubber processing technology uses many advanced equipment and technologies, such as internal mixers, extruders, vulcanizers, drafting machines, and automatic control systems. These equipment and technologies can not only improve production efficiency, but also optimize product quality and reduce energy consumption.

4、 Quality control

In order to ensure the quality and reliability of rubber processing products, modern rubber processing technology adopts various quality control methods. Firstly, strict quality testing is carried out on the raw materials to ensure that they meet the requirements. Secondly, during the processing process, various detection and adjustment techniques are used, such as chemical analysis, infrared spectroscopy, electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, etc., to detect and regulate the quality of raw materials, semi-finished products, and finished products. In addition, by establishing a sound quality management system, comprehensive monitoring of the production process is carried out to ensure that each process meets regulatory requirements.

5、 Development Trends

With the continuous development of technology, modern rubber processing technology will usher in more development opportunities. Firstly, in terms of new materials, new nanomaterials, biodegradable materials, and composite materials will provide new choices and possibilities for rubber processing. Secondly, in terms of new technologies, the introduction of artificial intelligence, big data, and the Internet of Things will make rubber processing more intelligent and efficient. In addition, as people's attention to environmental protection and sustainable development continues to increase, the rubber processing industry will also increasingly focus on environmental performance and resource utilization efficiency.

Rubber mixer used in rubber processing: