RUBBER REINFORCING CHAR (METBLACK CARBON BLACK)

SCRAP TIRE DISTILLATION IS THE MOST ECONOMICAL WAY TO RECOVER THE ENERGY IN SCRAP TIRES, PARTICULARLY IF ONE CAN REUSE THE SOLID CHAR DISTILLATION PRODUCT. THE CHAR HAS PROPERTIES SIMILAR TO CARBON BLACK WHICH MAKES UP ABOUT 25 PERCENT OF THE RUBBER FORMULA. THE RUBBER INDUSTRY WANTS TO RECOVER SCRAP TIRES AND REUSE THE INGREDIENTS. HOWEVER, REFORMULATING COMPOUNDS IS EXPENSIVE. THIS PROJECT PROVIDES DATA THAT FACILITATES USING DISTILLATION CHAR. RESEARCHERS ARE CHARACTERIZING THE CARBON BLACK PROPERTIES OF CHAR AND FORMULATING RUBBER COMPOUNDS SUBSTITUTING CHAR FOR COMMERCIAL CARBON BLACKS. COMPOUNDS OF NATURAL RUBBER, SBR, AND EPDM ARE BEING FORMULATED AND COMPARED WITH CONVENTIONAL COMPOUNDS FOR MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE. THE FORMULAE ARE ADJUSTED TO MATCH THE PERFORMANCE OF CONVENTIONAL CARBON BLACK. THIS PROJECT DEMONSTRATES THAT SCRP TIRE DISTILLATION CHAR CAN PRODUCE RUBBER COMPOUNDS WITH COMPETITIVE PROPERTIES. CHAR IS LOWER COST THAN CONVENTIONAL CARBON BLACK SINCE THE CHAR RAW MATERIAL PRODUCTION PROVIDES A SERVICE OF DISPOSAL OF SCRAP TIRES, AND THE CHAR MANUFACTURING PROCESS PRODUCES ENERGY RATHER THAN CONSUMING IT. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE RUBBER FORMULAE WILL SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE BARRIERS TO USING SCRAP TIRE DISTILLATION CHAR IN RUBBER COMPOUNDS AND PAVE THE WAY FOR ECONOMICAL RECOVERY OF SCRAP TIRES AND RUBBER.