DEF Rubber

What Determines the Wear Resistance of Rubber?

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Rubber, known for its variety and diverse applications, is often used for its wear resistance and sealing properties. While striving to produce the most durable rubber products, what factors exactly influence the wear resistance of rubber?

  • Type of Rubber: Different types of rubber, such as natural rubber, nitrile rubber, and styrene-butadiene rubber, vary significantly in composition and hence have distinct wear resistance characteristics and application scenarios. However, their primary differences lie not in wear resistance but in other properties such as oil resistance, weather resistance, or high-temperature tolerance.

  • Quality of Raw Materials: The quality of the raw materials greatly affects the properties of rubber. Natural rubber from different origins or brands varies in quality. Growth conditions impact the structure of rubber molecules, and processing and purification methods can introduce more impurities into the raw rubber.

  • Addition of Fillers: In rubber production, besides natural and synthetic rubber, additional materials like carbon black, silica, calcium carbonate, and aging inhibitors are often added. The right amount of these materials can enhance the rubber’s wear resistance. Therefore, manufacturers continuously optimize their formulas based on their needs and experience to achieve optimal performance.

  • Crosslink Density: Crosslinking refers to the formation of a network structure between rubber molecules through chemical bonds. Higher crosslink density enhances the structural integrity of rubber and usually improves wear resistance. Achieved through vulcanization or other chemical processes, the quality and uniformity of vulcanization affect the rubber’s mechanical strength and elasticity.

  • Use of Softeners: Adding softeners can adjust the hardness of rubber, increasing its flexibility. Appropriately hard rubber has better wear resistance; both excessively hard and too soft rubber negatively affect wear resistance.

  • Production and Processing Techniques: Different production processes significantly impact rubber’s overall properties. For instance, the liquid-phase process used by DEF Rubber effectively retains the long molecular chain structure of natural rubber, producing rubber with superior strength, wear resistance, and tear resistance. Various processing methods (e.g., extrusion, molding, injection) and temperature and pressure control during processing also affect the wear resistance, and improper processing can lead to internal defects and reduced wear resistance.

  • Aging and Environmental Factors: Long-term exposure to ultraviolet light, ozone, high temperatures, or chemicals accelerates rubber aging, causing a decline in physical properties and wear resistance. Therefore, it’s not recommended for customers to store large quantities of rubber products in warehouses.

  • External Conditions: The frictional conditions, surface roughness, contact pressure, or slurry impact velocity in the usage environment also affect rubber’s wear resistance. It’s understandable that higher operational intensity will expedite rubber wear. For example, the replacement frequency of wear-resistant rubber strips for floor scrubbers increases when used on rough surfaces.

In summary, rubber’s wear resistance is the result of multiple factors and needs to be optimized based on specific application scenarios and environmental conditions. By controlling and adjusting these factors sensibly, the wear resistance of rubber products can be enhanced. As a user, choosing the right supplier and product is a critical consideration.