A method of treating an elastomeric workpiece is provided. The method includes: (a) providing an elastomeric workpiece; and (b) altering a mechanical property of the elastomeric workpiece by fluorinating the elastomeric workpiece in a controlled environment.

Provided are modified plant fibers suitable for addition to rubber; an additive for rubber comprising the modified plant fibers which can be micronized and dispersed easily and highly when adding to rubber; a method of preparing the additive for rubber; and a rubber composition comprising the additive for rubber. Modified plant fibers (A) in which plant fibers (a) and a modified synthetic rubber (B) are covalently bonded wherein the ratio of the modified synthetic rubber (B) relative to 100 parts by weight of the plant fibers (a) is 5 to 100 parts by weight. An additive for rubber comprising 20 to 75 weight % of the modified plant fibers (A) according to claim 1 and 25 to 80 weight % of a processing agent for rubber (C), wherein the number average molecular weight of the processing agent for rubber (C) is 400 to 60,000, and the glass transition point of the processing agent for rubber (C) is 100 C. or less, and wherein the additive for rubber includes plant fibers in the ratio of 10 to 65 weight %.

A devulcanizing additive for vulcanized elastomers is described, said additive having improved efficiency and selectivity, together with the relative method of devulcaniztion, in continuous and batchwise, and the devulcanized product obtained by means of said devulcaniztion method of vulcanized elastomers.

A method to produce a compound for a tyre sealant layer, comprising a swelling step, during which a crumb rubber is immersed in a process oil chosen among the ones belonging to the families of paraffin process oils, naphthene process oils or natural process oils, so as to obtain a crumb rubber that swells due to the absorption of the process oil; and a following mixing step, during which said swollen crumb rubber is mixed with at least one polymer base consisting of an essentially saturated polymer.

Provided is a thermal decomposition method of used rubber that has excellent yields of isoprene and limonene without reducing the efficiency of thermal decomposition. The method is a method of thermally decomposing used rubber, including bringing the used rubber into contact with or swelling the used rubber in a medium, where the medium has a SP value of 8.3 (cal/cm.sup.3).sup.1/2 to 11 (cal/cm.sup.3).sup.1/2 and an endothermic peak temperature of 235? C. or higher measured by thermogravimetry (TGA), and the medium is liquid at 150? C., and then performing thermal decomposition.

Provided is a method by which a crosslinking site of a crosslinked elastomer can easily be returned to a non-crosslinked state. The method of returning a crosslinking site of a crosslinked elastomer to a non-crosslinked state includes a step of causing contact of a crosslinked elastomer including a diboronic acid ester skeleton unit represented by a specific general formula (1) at a crosslinking site with a monoboronic acid compound represented by a specific general formula (3) in the presence of an organic solvent having an SP value (solubility parameter) of not less than 7 (cal/cm.sup.3).sup.1/2 and not more than 10 (cal/cm.sup.3).sup.1/2. In this step, a molar abundance ratio of the monoboronic acid compound relative to the diboronic acid ester skeleton unit (monoboronic acid compound/diboronic acid ester skeleton unit) is set as more than 2 and not more than 5.

A process is provided for converting discarded rubber, e.g., rubber crumb, into absorbent material. The process comprises extruding a mixture of discarded rubber and oxidizer(s) under progressively increasing temperature to reach a temperature above 250 C. The extrudate may undergo a secondary oxidation. The partially devulcanized granular rubber formed is useful as absorbent material for hydrocarbons, e.g., in remediation of contaminated soil and oil spills.

A procedure for the devulcanization of scrap rubber and/or elastomers and apparatus therefor. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading Abstract of the Disclosure. The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.

A rubber composition for vulcanization molding which can be manufactured into a rubber product with good dimensional stability, good appearance and sufficiently light weight, a process for manufacturing the same, and applications thereof. A rubber composition for vulcanization molding containing hollow particles and a base rubber, wherein the hollow particles are composed of a thermoplastic resin shell and a thermally vaporizable blowing agent encapsulated therein and have a specified further expansion ratio, and the base rubber has a Mooney viscosity ML (1+4) ranging from 5 to 90 at 100 C. Also disclosed is a process for manufacturing the rubber composition, hollow particles used for manufacturing the rubber composition, a masterbatch including the hollow particles and a rubber product manufactured from the rubber composition.

A polymer film includes at least one type of polymer selected from the group consisting of a resin and rubber and fillers dispersed in the polymer; in which in a case where the polymer film is three-dimensionally analyzed with FIB-SEM, a film thickness of the polymer film is denoted by Tm, and a length of the filler in a film thickness direction of the polymer film is denoted by Lf, a proportion of the number of fillers having Lf/Tm of 0.01 or more and less than 1.0 to the number of all the fillers is more than 40% and less than 100%.