Anti-skid and wear-resistant light conveying belt and preparation method thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to an anti-skid and wear-resistant light conveying belt and a preparation method thereof.The conveying belt comprises a rubber layer, and a PVC liquid coating layer is arranged on the working surface of the rubber layer; the PVC coating liquid comprises the following raw materials in parts by weight: 80-120 parts of PVC resin, 3-10 parts of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene powder, 10-20 parts of a reinforcing agent, 30-40 parts of a plasticizer, 3-6 parts of a stabilizer, 4-6 parts of an active agent, 1-5 parts of an anti-aging agent and 0-10 parts of a functional additive. The working surface of the rubber layer is provided with a micro texture, and the PVC coating liquid is coated on the micro texture. Compared with the prior art, due to the introduction of the UHMWPE and the synergistic effect of the micro-texture surface, the anti-skid performance of the conveyor belt prepared by the invention is remarkably improved under various conditions such as dry, wet and oily conditions, meanwhile, the conveyor belt has excellent wear resistance, the service life of the conveyor belt is effectively prolonged, and the operation and maintenance cost is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of conveyor belt preparation, and more specifically, relates to a skid-resistant and wear-resistant lightweight conveyor belt and a preparation method thereof. Background Art

[0002] As an indispensable core component in modern industrial production and logistics systems, conveyor belts are widely used in a wide range of fields, including mining, port logistics, food processing, tobacco manufacturing, printing and packaging, and even emerging industrial automation. Their core function is to efficiently and continuously transport materials in various forms, making them a key link in ensuring smooth production processes and improving operational efficiency.

[0003] However, with the rapid advancement of industrial technology and increasingly stringent production requirements, traditional conveyor belts are facing increasingly significant bottlenecks in their inherent anti-slip and wear resistance when faced with complex operating conditions such as high and low temperatures, humidity, oil pollution, chemical corrosion, high load impacts, and the pursuit of long life and high reliability. For example, when conveying on an inclined surface or in slippery conditions, materials are prone to slipping and rolling, affecting conveying efficiency and even causing safety accidents. Furthermore, when conveying highly abrasive materials, rapid wear on the belt surface directly shortens the conveyor belt life, increasing maintenance costs and downtime. These industry pain points place higher demands on conveyor belt performance.

[0004] In this context, optimizing the formula of conveyor belts, introducing high-performance rubber, special polymers, functional additives and even nanomaterials, and combining them with advanced surface treatment technology have become the main research and development directions for improving their anti-slip and wear-resistant properties, extending their service life and broadening their application areas. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the deficiencies of existing rubber conveyor belts in terms of anti-slip performance (especially in harsh working conditions such as wet and oily conditions) and wear resistance, and to provide a light-duty conveyor belt that is anti-slip and wear-resistant and a method for preparing the same.

[0006] The purpose of the present invention can be achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0007] A non-slip and wear-resistant lightweight conveyor belt comprises a rubber layer, wherein a PVC coating layer is provided on a working surface of the rubber layer. The raw materials of the PVC coating layer comprise the following components, calculated by weight: 80-120 parts of PVC resin, 3-10 parts of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene powder, 10-20 parts of a reinforcing agent, 30-40 parts of a plasticizer, 3-6 parts of a stabilizer, 4-6 parts of an active agent, 1-5 parts of an antioxidant, and 0-10 parts of a functional additive.

[0008] The rubber layer forms the main body of the conveyor belt and primarily comprises a rubber matrix. Preferably, the rubber matrix comprises at least one of natural rubber, butadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, and nitrile rubber. Applying a PVC coating layer to the rubber layer effectively enhances the conveyor belt's wear resistance, pressure resistance, and aging resistance.

[0009] The working surface of the rubber layer refers to the side that directly contacts the material.

[0010] Further preferably, the rubber matrix is a composite of natural rubber and synthetic rubber.

[0011] Preferably, the ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene has a weight average molecular weight of 3 million to 7 million g / mol and an average particle size of 30 to 150 μm.

[0012] The main purpose of introducing ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is to utilize its extremely low friction coefficient and excellent wear resistance to form a dispersed wear-resistant and friction-reducing phase on the surface of the rubber layer to reduce abrasive wear.

[0013] Preferably, the mass fraction of the ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene is 5-10 parts.

[0014] Preferably, the reinforcing agent is at least one of carbon black, white carbon black, light calcium carbonate, clay, talc, nano-silica, and chopped carbon fiber. The reinforcing agent is used to improve the tensile strength, tear strength, hardness, and wear resistance of the conveyor belt and maintain its mechanical properties.

[0015] Preferably, the reinforcing agent is carbon black or white carbon black, and the carbon black is carbon black N220, carbon black N330, carbon black N234, carbon black N550 or carbon black N774.

[0016] Preferably, the plasticizer is dioctyl phthalate or epoxy fatty acid methyl ester; the stabilizer is a calcium-zinc composite stabilizer; and the active agent is at least one of zinc oxide and stearic acid.

[0017] Preferably, the antioxidant includes at least one of N-isopropyl-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (4010NA), 2-mercaptobenzimidazole (MB), hydroquinone dimethyl ether (RD), amines, and hindered phenol antioxidants.

[0018] The addition of antioxidants can delay the aging process, resist aging factors such as heat, oxygen, ozone, flex fatigue, capture free radicals, decompose peroxides or form a protective film, thereby maintaining the mechanical properties of the conveyor belt in long-term use, and indirectly ensure the durability of its anti-slip and wear-resistant properties.

[0019] Preferably, the antioxidant is present in an amount of 1.5-3 parts by mass.

[0020] Preferably, the functional additive includes at least one of an antistatic agent, a flame retardant, a friction reducer, a silane coupling agent, an anti-UV agent, and an anti-slip agent.

[0021] Specifically, the transmission belt further includes a belt core layer, and the rubber layer is arranged on the surface of the belt core layer.

[0022] In this technical solution, the core layer serves as the conveyor belt's skeleton and is the primary load-bearing component, providing sufficient longitudinal tensile strength and load-bearing capacity. This determines the belt's tensile strength and stiffness. The rubber layer's primary function is to protect the core layer from material impact, abrasion, and environmental erosion, extending its service life.

[0023] The material of the core layer includes at least one of cotton canvas, nylon canvas, polyester canvas, aramid canvas or steel wire rope.

[0024] The working surface of the rubber layer has a microstructure, and the PVC coating liquid is coated on the microstructure.

[0025] Preferably, the microstructure is an array of tiny units with specific geometric shapes, sizes and arrangements.

[0026] Specifically, the geometric shape can be a circular pit array, a square convex dot array, a V-shaped or U-shaped micro-groove network; the unit is a pit, a convex dot, a groove, a column or a combination thereof; the depth of the micro texture is 10-200 μm, preferably 30-100 μm; the unit spacing is 50-300 μm; the arrangement is a regular arrangement or a bionic pattern arrangement.

[0027] Specifically, the microtexture has the following main functions: ① Under wet conditions, it acts as a water / oil storage and drainage channel, disrupting the continuous water / oil film, increasing the actual contact area and providing a "wiper effect." ② It accommodates wear debris and reduces the plowing effect of abrasive particles on the contact surface. ③ It increases surface roughness and mechanical engagement points, enhancing macroscopic friction. ④ It protects UHMWPE particles and PVC resin, regulating wear behavior.

[0028] Specifically, the microtexture, in conjunction with the UHMWPE in the formulation, modulates wear behavior during rubber wear. Initially, UHMWPE particles are worn away as a sacrificial phase, their low-friction properties reducing adhesive wear. As wear progresses, some UHMWPE may form a thin transfer film in depressions within the texture or on the substrate surface, further reducing friction and protecting the substrate material. The microtexture provides favorable geometric space and conditions for these processes.

[0029] Specifically, the belt core layer is compounded with the rubber layer through a calendering process to form a transmission belt.

[0030] Preferably, a buffer layer is provided between the rubber layer and the belt core layer.

[0031] The buffer layer is used to absorb impact energy, protect the belt core, and enhance the adhesion between the rubber layer and the belt core.

[0032] Further preferably, the core layer comprises at least two layers, and an isolation layer is provided between adjacent core layers.

[0033] The main function of the isolation layer is to provide good bonding performance to the adjacent core layers and ensure the bonding strength between the layers.

[0034] A method for preparing the above-mentioned conveyor belt comprises the following steps:

[0035] S1. Etching a micro texture on the working surface of the rubber layer of the conveyor belt and cleaning the working surface;

[0036] S2, adding the raw materials of the PVC coating layer into a high-speed mixer and mixing them evenly to obtain a PVC coating liquid;

[0037] S3. Apply the PVC coating liquid on the working surface of the rubber layer, then put the coated conveyor belt into a drying tunnel for drying and solidification, and obtain a non-slip and wear-resistant conveyor belt after cooling.

[0038] Furthermore, the specific operation steps of step S1 are: placing the conveyor belt with the rubber layer in a mold with a specific micro-texture cavity, performing a high-temperature and high-pressure reaction, so that the working surface of the rubber layer replicates the preset micro-texture.

[0039] Specifically, the working surface of the mold is pre-fabricated with precision machining technology to form a cavity structure that is the inverse of the desired micro-texture.

[0040] Specifically, the precision machining technology may be laser etching, electroforming or LIGA technology.

[0041] Furthermore, the precision machining technology is femtosecond laser etching technology, with a pulse width of less than 200fs, a wavelength of 1000-1300nm, and a power density of 4-6×10 13 W / cm 2 , the pulse frequency is 0.5-1.5MHz, and the scanning speed is 400-600mm / s.

[0042] Furthermore, in step S1, the ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene powder is added in batches to promote its uniform dispersion in the PVC resin.

[0043] Furthermore, in step S2, the rotation speed of the high-speed stirrer is 8000-12000 rpm, and the stirring time is 10-15 minutes. Subsequently, a solvent for adjusting the viscosity of the coating liquid is added to adjust the viscosity of the PVC coating liquid to 30-50 Pa·s.

[0044] Specifically, the solvent used to adjust the viscosity of the coating liquid is toluene, xylene or ethyl acetate.

[0045] In step S3, the coating method is knife coating, roller coating or spray coating; the coating thickness is 0.5-2 mm.

[0046] Preferably, in step S3, the drying and curing temperature is 80-120° C., and the drying time is 10-20 minutes.

[0047] Beneficial effects of the present invention:

[0048] (1) Microtexture can effectively destroy the interfacial water / oil film and increase the mechanical meshing effect. UHMWPE itself has a low friction coefficient, but when combined with microtexture, it exhibits more stable friction behavior at the contact point, which can effectively reduce slippage and improve transportation efficiency and safety.

[0049] (2) UHMWPE is dispersed in PVC resin in the form of micropowder, which can significantly resist abrasive wear and fatigue wear. The presence of microtexture may reduce secondary wear by accommodating wear debris. On the other hand, the raised parts of the texture unit are the first to bear the wear, which can protect the substrate and thus significantly extend the service life of the conveyor belt.

[0050] (3) The present invention optimizes the types and amounts of each component in the formula, especially the content and particle size of UHMWPE, and adopts a reasonable processing technology to achieve the goal of significantly improving the anti-slip and wear resistance while still maintaining the basic physical and mechanical properties of the rubber material such as elasticity, tensile strength, and tear strength, thereby meeting the actual use requirements of the conveyor belt. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] In order to further illustrate the technical means and effects adopted by the present invention to achieve the predetermined purpose of the invention, the specific implementation methods, structures, features and effects of the present invention are described in detail below in combination with the embodiments.

[0052] Example 1

[0053] A non-slip and wear-resistant lightweight conveyor belt comprises a rubber layer, wherein a PVC coating layer is provided on a working surface of the rubber layer. The PVC coating layer comprises the following components in parts by mass:

[0054] Raw material name Specifications / Models parts by weight PVC resin SG-5 100 UHMWPE powder <![CDATA[The weight-average molecular weight is about 5.0×10 6 g / mol, and the average particle size is 80 μm]]> 5 Carbon black N330 Average particle size 32nm 15 zinc oxide Purity ≥99.7% 2 stearic acid Model 1801 2 Antioxidant RD / 1 Antioxidant 4010NA / 1 DOP plasticizer / 30 Epoxidized soybean oil / 5 Calcium zinc composite stabilizer / 4 Silane coupling agent KH-550 2

[0055] Among them, the anti-slip and wear-resistant lightweight conveyor belt of this embodiment includes a belt core layer and a rubber layer. The rubber layer is arranged on the surface of the belt core layer. The working surface of the rubber layer is the layer that directly contacts the material. The PVC coating layer is arranged on the working surface of the rubber layer; and the working surface of the rubber layer has a preset micro texture.

[0056] The material of the core layer is EP200 polyester canvas, and the core layer is two layers.

[0057] The preparation process of the transmission belt of this embodiment is as follows:

[0058] S1. Cut the conveyor belt blank into appropriate size and place it in a flat vulcanizer mold. The upper template cavity surface of the mold is pre-prepared with a micro-texture by a laser etching process, specifically a regular array of circular pits with a diameter of 100 μm, a depth of 50 μm, and a center spacing of 150 μm; set the vulcanization temperature to 150±2°C, the pressure to 10 MPa, and the vulcanization time to 25 minutes, and perform compression vulcanization to etch the micro-texture on the working surface of the rubber layer, and then clean its working surface.

[0059] S2. UHMWPE powder was pre-surface-modified with coupling agent KH-550. PVC resin and plasticizer were then added to a high-speed blender and mixed at 80°C for 10 minutes until the resin was fully swollen. Other raw materials were then added and stirred at 8000-12000 rpm for 15 minutes to ensure thorough mixing. Ethyl acetate solvent was then slowly added and mixed evenly. The viscosity of the coating solution was adjusted to 30-50 Pa·s and stirring was continued for 5 minutes to obtain a PVC coating solution.

[0060] S3. Apply the PVC coating liquid to the working surface of the rubber layer by roller coating with a coating thickness of 0.5-2 mm. Then, place the coated conveyor belt in a drying tunnel and dry and cure it at a temperature of 100±0.5°C for 15 minutes to completely evaporate the solvent in the PVC coating liquid. After cooling, a non-slip and wear-resistant conveyor belt is obtained.

[0061] Example 2

[0062] The difference between this embodiment and embodiment 1 is that in this embodiment, carbon black N330 is replaced by 6 parts of nano-silica and 4 parts of chopped carbon fibers. The weight average molecular weight of UHMWPE powder is about 7.0×10 6 g / mol, average particle size 30μm.

[0063] Example 3

[0064] The difference between this embodiment and embodiment 2 is that the weight average molecular weight of the UHMWPE powder is about 3.0×10 6 g / mol, average particle size 120 μm.

[0065] Example 4

[0066] The difference between this embodiment and embodiment 1 is that after step S3, the conveyor belt is subjected to plasma treatment with a power of 150 W and a time of 5 minutes.

[0067] Comparative Example 1

[0068] The difference between this comparative example and Example 1 is that the PVC coating liquid of this comparative example does not contain UHMWPE powder and the weight portion of carbon black N330 is 20 parts. The remaining components, preparation steps and parameters are the same.

[0069] Comparative Example 2

[0070] The difference between this comparative example and Example 1 is that this comparative example lacks step S1, that is, the rubber layer has no microtexture, and the remaining components, preparation steps and parameters are the same.

[0071] The samples prepared in Examples 1-4 and Comparative Examples 1-2 were placed in an environment with a temperature of 23±2° C. and a relative humidity of 50±5% RH for 24 hours, and then the following performance tests were performed.

[0072] (1) Anti-slip performance test

[0073] Contact auxiliary materials: Clean and dry SUS304 standard steel plate; water-lubricated steel plate (surface covered with a layer of about 0.1mm water film); oil-lubricated steel plate (surface covered with a layer of ISOVG32 mineral oil film)

[0074] Normal load: 5N±0.05N;

[0075] Test speed (pre-stretching, then stopping, then pulling at a constant speed): 100±10mm / min

[0076] Referring to GB / T10006-2021 (Determination of friction coefficient of plastic films and sheets), use the MXD-02 friction coefficient tester to test the maximum friction force of the contact auxiliary material when it starts sliding on the sample conveyor belt, and calculate the static friction coefficient.

[0077] (2) Wear resistance test

[0078] Load: 10.0±0.2N;

[0079] Abrasive: No. 60 aluminum oxide sandpaper. The abrasiveness of the sandpaper was calibrated with standard styrene-butadiene rubber before the test.

[0080] Wear stroke: 40m;

[0081] Grinding drum speed: 40±1rpm;

[0082] Refer to ISO4649:2017 (Rubber or thermoplastic elastomer - Determination of wear resistance using a rotating cylindrical drum apparatus), use a DIN abrasion tester to measure the volume loss of the sample (mm 3 ).

[0083] The test results are shown in Table 1.

[0084] Table 1

[0085]

[0086] As shown in the test results in Table 1, the samples of Examples 1-4, using a microtextured surface and UHMWPE-reinforced rubber composite formulation, exhibit superior and more stable friction properties compared to Comparative Examples 1-2. In the standard DIN abrasion test, the wear volume loss of the samples of Examples 1-4 was significantly lower than that of Comparative Examples 1-2, demonstrating their superior resistance to abrasive wear. This comparative analysis clearly reveals the positive synergistic effect between the introduction of UHMWPE and the design of the surface microtexture.

[0087] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not constitute any form of limitation to the present invention. Although the present invention has been disclosed as above in terms of a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can, without departing from the scope of the technical solution of the present invention, make some changes or modifications to equivalent embodiments using the technical contents disclosed above. However, any brief modifications, equivalent changes and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the content of the technical solution of the present invention are still within the scope of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. A non-slip and wear-resistant lightweight conveyor belt, characterized in that: The invention comprises a rubber layer, wherein a PVC coating layer is provided on a working surface of the rubber layer. The raw materials of the PVC coating layer include the following components by weight: 80-120 parts of PVC resin, 3-10 parts of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene powder, 10-20 parts of reinforcing agent, 30-40 parts of plasticizer, 3-6 parts of stabilizer, 4-6 parts of active agent, 1-5 parts of antioxidant and 0-10 parts of functional additive.

2. The anti-skid and wear-resistant lightweight conveyor belt according to claim 1, characterized in that: The reinforcing agent is at least one of carbon black, white carbon black, light calcium carbonate, clay, talc, nano silicon dioxide, and chopped carbon fiber.

3. The anti-skid and wear-resistant lightweight conveyor belt according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene preferably has a weight average molecular weight of 3 million to 7 million g / mol and an average particle size of 30 to 150 μm.

4. The anti-skid and wear-resistant lightweight conveyor belt according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plasticizer is dioctyl phthalate or epoxy fatty acid methyl ester; the stabilizer is a calcium-zinc composite stabilizer; and the active agent is at least one of zinc oxide and stearic acid.

5. The anti-skid and wear-resistant lightweight conveyor belt according to claim 1, characterized in that: The antioxidant includes at least one of N-isopropyl-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine, 2-mercaptobenzimidazole, hydroquinone dimethyl ether, amines, and hindered phenol antioxidants; The functional additives include at least one of an antistatic agent, a flame retardant, a friction reducer, a silane coupling agent, an anti-UV agent, and an anti-slip agent.

6. The anti-skid and wear-resistant lightweight conveyor belt according to claim 1, characterized in that: The working surface of the rubber layer has a micro texture, and the PVC coating liquid is coated on the micro texture.

7. The light conveyor belt according to claim 6, characterized in that: The microstructure is a tiny unit array with specific geometric shape, size and arrangement.

8. The light conveyor belt according to claim 7, characterized in that: The units are pits, convex points, grooves, columns or a combination thereof; the depth of the micro texture is 10-200 μm, preferably 30-100 μm; the unit spacing is 50-300 μm; and the arrangement is a regular arrangement or a bionic pattern arrangement.

9. A method for preparing a non-slip and wear-resistant lightweight conveyor belt according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The preparation method comprises the following steps: S1. Etching a micro texture on the working surface of the rubber layer of the conveyor belt and cleaning the working surface; S2, adding the raw materials of the PVC coating layer into a high-speed mixer and mixing them evenly to obtain a PVC coating liquid; S3. Apply the PVC coating liquid on the working surface of the rubber layer, then put the coated conveyor belt into a drying tunnel for drying and solidification, and obtain a non-slip and wear-resistant conveyor belt after cooling.

10. The preparation method according to claim 9, characterized in that In step S2, the speed of the high-speed stirrer is 8000-12000 rpm, and the stirring time is 10-15 minutes. Subsequently, a solvent for adjusting the viscosity of the coating liquid is added to adjust the viscosity of the PVC coating liquid to 30-50 Pa·s; in step S3, the drying and curing temperature is 80-120°C, and the drying time is 10-20 minutes.

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