Rubber Compounds from Devulcanized Ground Tire Rubber: Recipe Formulation and Characterization

Abstract

In this study, our focus was on developing and investigating rubber recipes that are suitable for devulcanized ground tire rubber (dGTR). Devulcanized rubber has a powdery or sticky uncured rubber-like appearance depending on the extent of main-chain degradation that occurs with selective crosslinking scission. Still, it has a significantly shorter scorch time than a new rubber compound. Therefore, our primary goal was to slow down the vulcanization process of dGTR and improve its mechanical properties via recipe development. We formulated several recipes (sulfur-, peroxide-, and phenolic resin-based) and studied the vulcanization process and the main properties of the revulcanized rubber sheets. We observed that the vulcanization process could be altered with different vulcanization methods: using peroxide and vulcanizing resin extended the process significantly. Peroxide vulcanization also provided enhanced elongation compared to sulfuric systems. With a balance of properties in mind, we selected a semi-efficient sulfur-based recipe and studied the characteristics of natural rubber/dGTR mixtures with the help of plasticizer oils. We successfully replaced a notable portion of natural rubber with dGTR, maintaining its properties without much compromise.

Exploring the Impact of Reinforcing Filler Systems on Devulcanizate Composites

“…Their lightweight nature contributes to energy efficiency in transportation, while their damping characteristics make them valuable for reducing vibrations. In essence, the significance of polymeric composites, especially elastomeric composites, lies in their capacity to revolutionize material performance across diverse sectors, fostering innovation and efficiency [ 15 , 16 , 17 ].…”