Functionalised Rubber Particles for High-Loading Recycled Masterbatches
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Solution Overview
Problem
The recycling of previously cured or vulcanized rubber products, such as tyres, hoses, and belts, is challenging due to the stability of carbon-sulphur and sulphur-sulphur bonds, which are difficult to reverse, limiting their use to applications where chemical reintegration is not required, and existing devulcanization processes have not produced commercially viable materials for high-load technical rubber applications.
Innovation Solution
A method involving an ionic liquid based composition comprising a water soluble polymer, a cationic silicate component, a salt of a vulcanization accelerator, a zinc compound, and sulphur is used to functionalize elastomeric materials, enabling their use in rubber formulations at higher concentrations by forming pendant groups that react with available diene sites at low temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional devulcanization processes are used to recycle vulcanized rubber, then some original properties can be regained, but the material cannot be used in high loadings in technical rubber applications and is not commercially viable
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical parameters of the devulcanization process by using an ionic liquid composition with specific cationic silicate components and vulcanization accelerator salts, enabling the functionalized rubber to achieve commercial viability while maintaining recycling efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite functionalization system combining ionic liquids, cationic silicates, and vulcanization accelerator salts that work synergistically to produce rubber particles suitable for high-loading technical applications
2Ease of repair
If previously cured rubber products are reworked or recycled, then material can be recovered, but the strong carbon-sulphur and sulphur-sulphur bonds formed during vulcanisation are extremely stable and difficult to reverse
Solution Approach 1:
The ionic liquid composition acts as an intermediary that facilitates the reversal of stable vulcanization bonds by providing a unique chemical environment with cationic silicate components that can interact with and break the carbon-sulphur and sulphur-sulphur bonds
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the chemical environment parameters by introducing ionic liquids with specific cationic components, allowing the stable vulcanization bonds to be reversed under controlled conditions while maintaining compositional control
3Reliability
If functionalised rubber particles are used in rubber master batches, then new rubber products show unexpected performance, but the loading levels have previously been unknown and limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the concentration parameters of the ionic liquid composition and functionalization conditions, enabling rubber particles to be used at loading levels of 20-80 wt% in master batches while maintaining expected performance
Solution Approach 2:
The functionalized rubber particles serve as effective copies or substitutes for virgin rubber, allowing high loadings in master batches while achieving performance comparable to or exceeding traditional formulations
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 functionalized elastomeric materials exhibit improved performance in new rubber products, allowing for the production of final rubber products with recycled rubber content up to 80 wt%, enhancing properties like rolling resistance, wear resistance, and wet grip.
Implementation Method 1
functionalises elastomeric material, including rubber particles, thereby enabling the use of these functionalised particles in rubber master batches
Data Source
AI summary
A method of functionalising an elastomeric material, such as a rubber particle, is provided. The method comprises the functionalisation of an elastomeric material through the use of an ionic liquid based composition, which comprises a water soluble polymer, a cationic silicate component, and a salt of a vulcanization accelerator, together with a zinc compound, sulphur, and an accelerator. Rubber particles, for example particles from recycled rubber products, functionalised according to the method disclosed can successfully be utilised in virgin rubber masterbatches at concentrations not previously possible.