A process for producing a stable silica/hydrocarbon solution includes ultrasonically mixing silica and a silane in a hydrocarbon solvent. The solution may be dried to obtain a surface-modified silica. The solution may be mixed with a polymer cement to produce silica-rubber (e.g., silica-SSBR) masterbatch products.

A composition adapted for the production of a thermosetting elastomer with antimicrobial capabilities by vulcanization by molding includes an elastomer, a catalyst and/or a vulcanization activator, and an antimicrobial additive that includes zinc pyrithione and silver phosphate glass in a 1:1 ratio by weight.

A curative for epoxidized plant-based oils and epoxidized natural rubber is created from the reaction between a naturally occurring polyfunctional acid and an epoxidized plant-based oil is disclosed. The curative may be used to produce at least one of six different materials, wherein each type of material may be configured as a thermosetting elastomer that is crosslinked with -hydroxyester linkages. The materials may be configured as a leather-like material, a foam material, a molded elastomer, a coating, an adhesive, and/or a rigid or semi-rigid material. Illustrative articles made from any combination of the six materials may be recycled using a mechano-chemical process to de-crosslink the thermosetting elastomer.

Provided is a sheet for battery module that can reduce the occurrence of problems associated with thermal runaway in a battery module. The sheet for battery module is formed of a cross-linked product of a rubber composition that contains a nitrile rubber, an ,-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid metal salt, and a cross-linker.

A method for producing a rubber-plastic composite, including the steps of (a) shaping an unvulcanized elastomer, (b) partially vulcanizing the shaped elastomer at a temperature of at least 140 C. up to a degree of vulcanization in the range from 10% to 40%, (c) cooling the partially vulcanized elastomer to a temperature of less than 100 C. within less than 20 minutes, (d) overmolding the partially vulcanized elastomer with a plastic, and (e) heat treating the partially vulcanized elastomer overmolded with a plastic at a temperature in the range from 100 C. to 170 C. for a duration of from 5 minutes to 5 hours to complete the vulcanization and form a rubber-plastic composite. The method further relates to a rubber-plastic composite obtainable by the method according to the invention and also to a shoe comprising the rubber-plastic composite obtainable by the method according to the invention.

An illustrative embodiment of a manufactured surface component may be comprised of a textile material on a first face and an elastomer material on a second face, wherein said elastomer material is bonded to said textile material, wherein said manufactured surface component is substantially planarly configured, wherein an area of said first face and said second face is from about 0.04 square inches to about 4.0 square inches, wherein a thickness of said manufactured surface component is from about 0.3 mm to about 2.5 mm, and wherein said manufactured surface component is substantially free of any petrochemical-derived plastics, petrochemicals, and toxins.

This disclosure describes systems and methods which utilize organoclays compounded with zinc acrylates to improve the performance of drive belts. In performing research on organoclays, the inventors created formulations and methods of compatibilizing organoclays with metal salts of --unsaturated organic acids and incorporating the compatibilized organoclays into the belt compound so that the planar organoclay particles are substantially aligned with the longitudinal plane of the belt. This is shown to provide a) lower Mooney viscosity (resulting in greater ease of processing), b) higher stiffness (both tensile and dynamic) c) improved tear resistance, d) lower crack growth rate and e) nearly equivalent fatigue resistance in spite of the increased stiffness. This combination of traits in the belts created utilizing the organoclay/zinc acrylate technology described herein results in an unexpectedly improved belt.

The invention relates to additives for enhancing the electrical conductivity and physical and mechanical properties of rubber compounds, including, inter alia, the elastic modulus, tensile strength, tear resistance and abrasion resistance of composite elastomer-based materials (rubbers), and to composite elastomer-based materials (rubbers). The invention proposes an additive containing from 1 to 20 wt % carbon nanotubes, from 3 to 90 wt % high-viscosity organic rubber, and from 8 to 95 wt % low-molecular-weight organic dispersion medium. The present invention also proposes a method for producing the additive.

Epoxidised natural rubber [ENR] based vulcanised-blends with two different types of electrical conductive filler (i.e. conductive grade-carbon black and intrinsically electrical conductive polymer) may be produced respectively by using either internal mechanical mixing method or open milling method or the combination of the two methods. All these ENR based vulcanised-blends show high consistent reversible electrical behaviour under the tensile straining process. They also exhibit useful mechanical properties with tensile strengths up to 28.0 MPa, elongations at break up to 800.0% and Dunlop rebound resiliencies up to 55.0%. The lower the rebound resilience, the better the damping property and shock absorption ability for the ENR based vulcanised-blends. As a result, these ENR based vulcanised-blends are ideal to be used for manufacturing flexible sensors that may correspond to the tensile straining process.

The present invention provides a rubber composition that may improve fracture resistance of the resulting tire while maintaining good drainage performance, and a tire using the same. The rubber composition includes: a rubber component; and a fiber made of a hydrophilic resin. The fiber is formed with a coating layer on its surface. The coating layer is made of a resin having affinity for the rubber component.