Chemicals Used in Rubber Industry
5 Major Chemicals for Rubber Industry
- Dimethylamine
- Zinc oxide
- Styrenated phenol
- Zinc stearate
- Stearic acid, etc.
1) Dimethylamine
It is a major chemical used in synthetic rubber which possesses superior performance and quality. The other side of its use is that it minimizes the use of ammonia in the industry.
Among the vulcanization accelerators, a class exists of products that are defined as “secondary accelerators”, useful as activators for thiazole-based primary accelerators. An example of such a product is diethylamine. It is used to produce vulcanization accelerators such as zinc diethyldithiocarbamate and tetraethyl thiuram disulfide.
2) Zinc Oxide
The tire industry remains the largest single market for ZnO. It has more than half of the total worldwide demand of 1,200,000 metric tons. Traditionally zinc oxide is used in rubber formulations in concentrations of 3–8 parts per hundred rubber. Its addition also protects the rubber from fungi (see medical applications) and UV light.
It is generally a feed supplement. It is used in the manufacturing of veterinary products as well as in the process of synthesis of micronutrients. It increases the durability and strength of rubber by linking together the rubber polymers & is used in the manufacture of seven grades of rubber and is used in the making of transparent rubber products.
3) Styrenated Phenol
Styrenated Phenol (STP) is a clear, yellow, viscous liquid. It is a stabilizer for dry rubber and latex compounds such as SBR, BR, NBR, EPDM, CR. The rubber articles that use Styrenated phenol are sheets and straps, rubber tubing, conveyor belt covers and latex-dipped products (such as industrial gloves, surgical gloves, and feeding bottle teats). Other products such as balloons, hot water bottles, injection bottle caps, rubber rollers and Footwear-related items use styrenated phenol.
4) Zinc Stearate
It is an “activator” for rubber vulcanization by sulfur and accelerators. As discovered in the early days of vulcanization, zinc has a beneficial effect on the reaction of sulfur with polyolefin. The stearate is a form of zinc that is highly soluble in the non-polar medium of the polyolefins.
It is used because it is comparatively light in weight and so can be transported quite easily and in large quantities. It is used for chemical coatings and resists moisture.
5) Stearic Acid
Stearic acid is the common name for octadecanoic acid, which is a saturated fatty acid stearic acid for rubber vulcanization accelerators. It is required as a part of all types of sulphur vulcanizing systems. Stearic acid activates accelerators in the presence of zinc oxide forming zinc stearate.
There are plenty of functions of stearic acid. In rubber industry besides its use as an activator with sulphur vulcanizing, it is also used as a dispersing agent as a plasticizer, and as an anti-sticking to mold and rolls. Stearic acid is a common, naturally occurring fatty acid widely used as an inexpensive primary emulsifying agent.