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Green EPDM Compounds
Martin van Duin, Philip Hough, Niels van der Aar
Two great challenges of our generation are the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and addressing the limited availability of fossil fuels. Keltan® Eco is LANXESS’ response to an urgent call to increase the eco-friendliness of rubber. Keltan® Eco is the world’s first commercial EP(D)M, produced from bio-based feedstock. The ethylene used in this process is produced from ethanol, derived from sugar cane.
In further efforts to increase the sustainability of EPDM rubber products, we have explored the potential of green alternatives for traditional reinforcing fillers and plasticiser oils. Carbon black, obtained from pyrolysis of waste tires, rice husk ash and nano-cellulose have been investigated as replacements for commercial carbon black filler, which is produced via incomplete combustion of a hydrocarbon feed with natural gas. A variety of natural oils and fat, factice and squalane have been studied as replacements for traditional extender oils, which are refinery fractions of crude oil.
This study has resulted in a sulfur-vulcanised EPDM compound with a sustainable content of more than 75% and properties comparable to standard EPDM compounds.