Conveyor Belt Rubber Composition for Flame Retardancy and Processability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rubber compositions for conveyor belts face issues with poor processability, vulcanization rate, and wear resistance, while maintaining high flame retardancy and strength.

Innovation Solution

A rubber composition comprising a diene rubber blend of natural rubber and butadiene rubber, chlorinated paraffin and antimony trioxide as flame retardants, carbon black, sulfur, and a combination of sulfenamide- and guanidine-based vulcanization accelerators, with specific mass ratios and content ranges to optimize vulcanization rate, wear resistance, and flame retardancy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a rubber composition contains chlorinated paraffin and antimony trioxide as flame retardants with specific content ratios, then flame retardancy is improved, but processability deteriorates due to rubber scorch

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflame retardancyVSAvoidprocessability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the content ratios of chlorinated paraffin (20-35 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of diene rubber) and antimony trioxide (5-12 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of diene rubber). This quantitative parameter optimization allows the flame retardant system to achieve effective flame retardancy while minimizing negative impacts on processability, resolving the contradiction between flame safety and manufacturing ease.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a composite flame retardant system combining chlorinated paraffin and antimony trioxide synergistically. This composite approach creates a multi-component flame retardant system that achieves superior flame retardancy through the combined effects of both materials, while the specific ratio control ensures compatibility with the rubber composition's processability requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If the rubber composition uses a specific blend of natural rubber and butadiene rubber, then strength is improved, but vulcanization rate becomes unsuitable

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovestrengthVSAvoidvulcanization rate

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by establishing specific content ranges for natural rubber (20-50 mass % of total diene rubber) and butadiene rubber (50-80 mass % of total diene rubber). This quantitative parameter optimization creates a balanced rubber blend that achieves the desired strength properties while maintaining an appropriate vulcanization rate, resolving the contradiction between mechanical strength and curing speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the rubber composition is formulated to achieve excellent wear resistance, then durability is improved, but processability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewear resistanceVSAvoidprocessability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the content ratios of carbon black (40-70 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of diene rubber) and the combined vulcanization accelerators (mass ratio of 1.00 or more relative to sulfur). These quantitative adjustments create a formulation that achieves excellent wear resistance through enhanced reinforcement and crosslinking, while the controlled parameters prevent excessive scorching and maintain acceptable processability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The composition achieves an appropriate vulcanization rate, excellent wear resistance, and flame retardancy, enhancing the processability of the rubber composition and resulting conveyor belts.

Implementation Method 1

a flame retardant containing a chlorinated paraffin and antimony trioxide

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFlame retardancy:

Implementation Method 2

a vulcanization accelerator containing a sulfenamide-based vulcanization accelerator and a guanidine-based vulcanization accelerator

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVulcanization: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 3

carbon black

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCarbon black absorption: Absorption (EM radiation)

Data Source

PatentUS20250304776A1Rubber composition and conveyor belt

Publication Date: 2025.10.02 THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO LTD

AI summary

A rubber composition containing: a diene rubber containing a natural rubber and a butadiene rubber; a flame retardant containing a chlorinated paraffin and antimony trioxide; carbon black; sulfur; a sulfenamide-based vulcanization accelerator and a guanidine-based vulcanization accelerator; a content of the natural rubber being from 20 to 50 mass % with respect to a total amount of the diene rubber; a content of the butadiene rubber being from 50 to 80 mass %; a content of the chlorinated paraffin being from 20 to 35 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the diene rubber; a content of the antimony trioxide being from 5 to 12 parts by mass; a mass ratio of the vulcanization accelerators/the sulfur being ≥1.00; and a mass ratio of the guanidine-based vulcanization accelerator/the sulfenamide-based vulcanization accelerator being from 0.20 to 0.60. Also a conveyor belt is produced by using the rubber composition.