Creating Superior Fatigue and Abrasion Resistant Rubber Compounds Through Liquid Phase Mixing

Dispersion of reinforcing agents, such as carbon black, is known to strongly influence the physical and dynamic properties of filled elastomeric compounds. This paper will introduce the performance characteristics of Cabot’s Transfinity^TMelastomer composites, produced by an unconventional liquid phase mixing technology where carbon black slurry is mixed with field latex in the liquid form. Unlike in the traditional solid-state mixing method where a significant amount of mixing energy contributes to the breakdown of polymer chains, in the liquid phase mixing method the mixing energy is largely targeted towards breakdown of reinforcing agents, preventing the degradation of polymers.

The paper will highlight the performance characteristics of butadiene rubber (BR)-blended Transfinity products that exhibit superior abrasion resistance and tear strength compared to conventional solid-state mixed compounds. It will also expand on tuning of tensile and tear properties by blending different amounts of BR with Transfinity elastomer composites. Such compounds have enabled up to 2X improvement in component durability in mining, defense, automotive and aerospace applications.