Understanding Rubber Technology

This book provides a reader-friendly but robust introduction to rubber technology. A large number of applications that seem self-evident today would be inconceivable without the broad spectrum of modern elastomers, which fulfill a variety of functions. The production of an elastomeric material requires not only knowledge of the individual components, but also deep understanding of their interactions with each other. Knowledge of the correct processing of such a complex mixture of materials is another basic prerequisite for the desired property profile of an elastomer. These aspects are covered in the book. The compound structure and processing of rubbers are considerably more complex than those of thermoplastic materials. The book shows the path from rubber to the finished elastomer product, which begins with the selection of a suitable rubber and the composition of a specific formulation for the respective application and the processing method predestined for it. Furthermore, end-of-life is covered, with description of modern rubber recycling. Contents: - Historical review and presentation of the economic significance - Introduction to the field of polymers and the specifics of elastomeric materials - Properties of the individual elastomers - Structure of rubber compounds and properties of the additives used - Common processing methods and the most important test methods - Typical areas of application - Recycling of elastomer products