Thermal Problems in Rubber Manufacture
Abstract The threefold heat problems of the industry are, in order of their occurrence: (1) Controlled removal of heat generated in processing crude rubber. (2) Regulation of heating and cooling processes to give the most nearly uniform vulcanization in the shortest possible time. (3) Measurement and reduction of heat generation in products subject in service to cyclic stress conditions. Each of the three types of problems engages the attention of chemists and engineers as well as physicists. The chemist is constantly searching for new ingredients and combinations of materials which will promote rapid vulcanization at curing temperatures, that is, 240 to 320° F. The same rubber compounds, when unvulcanized, must be relatively insensitive to processing temperatures up to about 220° F; when vulcanized they must withstand prolonged use at temperatures above 200° F. The engineer must design curing equipment and related automatic controls. He also must design the combinations of rubber compounds and structural elements which make up the products of the industry. The physicist must measure and analyze the thermal properties of the raw materials, the rubber compounds and the finished products. He also must apply the methods of the physics laboratory to the study in the factory of thermal problems connected with production operations. The cooperation of all is essential in producing for the consumer better products at lower cost.