Optimizing the Filler Dispersion From a Rubber Mixer Using a DMA and Optical Methods

In the last two decades, dynamic mechanical methods have been used to thoroughly analyze filled compounds.  Typically, these methods have used strain sweeps on both the uncured and cured states to quantify the dispersion within compounds.  During this time, optical methods have also grown in popularity.  The size and frequency of particles present on a cut surface are quantified using optical microscopes with new LED light sources.  The introduction of computers and real-time image analysis has increased productivity and the complexity of this type of analysis. There have been numerous studies to determine the most sensitive measurements of dispersion using these methods.  This study applies many of these methods to optimize a rubber mixer.  The results presented here show the best of these methods for optimizing the mix dispersion in the compounds studied here.