Other Rubber Agents

In addition to rubber adhesives, other factors also play an important role in the production process and improvement of rubber products. These factors affect the performance, durability and capabilities of rubber products. Here are some of the most important of these factors:

Plasticizers

Role: Plasticizers are additives that give rubbers flexibility, softness and better formability.
How they work: Plasticizers, by being placed between rubber molecules, reduce intermolecular forces and increase the distance between polymer chains.
Types: Oil plasticizers (such as mineral oils), ester plasticizers (such as phthalates) and epoxy plasticizers.
Applications: In the production of automobile tires, hoses, insulation and highly flexible rubber products.
Fillers
Role: Fillers are materials added to rubber to improve its volume, weight, and some mechanical properties.
Types: Carbon black, silica, clay, lime, talc, and reinforcing fibers such as glass and carbon fibers.
Applications: Increase strength, hardness, abrasion resistance, reduce production costs, and improve the insulating properties of rubber.

Accelerators

Role: Accelerators increase the speed of the vulcanization (curing) reaction of rubber.
How they work: Accelerators cause crosslinks to form between the polymer chains of rubber more quickly by reducing the activation energy of the vulcanization reaction.
Types: Sulfur accelerators, guanidine accelerators, thiuram accelerators.
Applications: Reduce production time, improve mechanical properties, and extend the useful life of rubber products.

Antioxidants

Role: Antioxidants prevent rubber from oxidizing due to contact with oxygen.
How it works: Antioxidants break the oxidation reaction chain by reacting with free radicals.
Types: Phenolic antioxidants, amine antioxidants.
Applications: Increasing the useful life of rubber products, maintaining physical properties and preventing cracking.

Vulcanizing Agents

Role: The main vulcanizing agent is sulfur, which converts rubber from a viscous state to an elastic state by creating cross-links between polymer chains.
How it works: Sulfur reacts with hydrogen atoms in rubber polymer chains and forms sulfur bonds.
Applications: Creating a network of cross-links in rubber and improving its mechanical properties.