In an example, a process includes polymerizing a mixture that includes an ethylene monomer, a propylene monomer, and a diene monomer to form an ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) terpolymer using ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). The process further includes chemically reacting the EPDM terpolymer with a norbornene-based phosphinate cross-linking material to form a flame-retardant, cross-linked EPDM rubber.

A method of devulcanizing vulcanized rubber is described. The method includes steps of: (a) providing at least one vulcanized rubber composition; (b) grinding the vulcanized rubber into chips or pellets; (c) mixing the ground rubber obtained from step (b) in such a way as to homogenize the form and temperature of same; (d) carrying out a non-degrading mechanical treatment on the mixed rubber at the end of step (c) to obtain a polymeric composite. Also described is a thermoplastic material and an elastomeric mixture which comprise, in the formulation of same, at least one polymeric composite obtained by this method of devulcanization.

This invention relates to certain rubber formulations which exhibit a low level of hysteresis which are comprised of a chemically functionalized renewed rubber and virgin solution styrene-butadiene rubber. These rubber formulations are loaded with a reinforcing silica. The rubber formulations of this invention can be utilized in making rubber products such as, tires, tracks, and conveyor belts which will promote energy savings by virtue of their low hysteretic properties. The present invention more specifically discloses a rubber composition which is comprised of (1) a solution styrene-butadiene rubber; (2) a functionalized renewed rubber composition which is comprised of an elastomeric polymer and a stabilizer; wherein the rubber composition has a crosslink density which is within the range of 0.05 to 2.010.sup.5 mole/g, and wherein the rubber composition has a solubility fraction of less than 90 percent; and (3) a reinforcing filler including reinforcing silica.

The present invention relates to a process for recycling solid waste from vulcanized elastomers based on sulphur or crosslinked with peroxides. In this context, the present invention proposes the recycling of said waste by means of radical de-crosslinking in the presence of ozone and de-crosslinking agents, without the use of high temperatures. The present invention also relates to recycled elastomers and the use of said recycled elastomers obtained by means of said process.

The renewed rubber of this invention can be used in rubber formulations that are used in manufacturing a wide array of rubber products, including tires, power transmission belts, conveyor belts, hoses, and a wide array of other products. The present invention more specifically discloses a method for manufacturing an environmentally friendly, chemically functionalized, renewed rubber composition having a highly desirable combination of physical properties and which exhibits excellent processability comprising the steps of (1) blending a micronized rubber powder with a processing aid and a chemical functionalizing agent to produce a blended mixture; (2) processing the blended mixture under conditions of high shear and low temperature to produce a reacted mixture; (3) adding a stabilizer to the reacted mixture to produce the chemically functionalized renewed rubber composition.

The present invention provides a method for surface-modifying a rubber vulcanizate or a thermoplastic elastomer, which can cost-effectively provide a variety of functions, such as remarkable sliding properties or biocompatibility, according to the application. The present invention relates to a method for surface-modifying a rubber vulcanizate or a thermoplastic elastomer as a modification target, the method including: step 1 of forming polymerization initiation points A on a surface of the modification target; step 2 of radically polymerizing a non-functional monomer starting from the polymerization initiation points A to grow non-functional polymer chains; step 3 of washing the modification target on which the non-functional polymer chains are grown; step 4 of forming polymerization initiation points B on a surface of the non-functional polymer chains; and step 5 of radically polymerizing a fluorine-containing functional monomer starting from the polymerization initiation points B to grow fluorine-containing functional polymer chains.

A single-screw extrusion desulfurization and post-processing system and a method for preparing reclaimed rubber. The single-screw extrusion desulfurization and post-processing system comprises: a single-screw desulfurization device, a single-screw post-processing device and a closed connection device for connecting the single-screw desulfurization device and the single-screw post-processing device, the single-screw post-processing device includes a post-processing feeding unit and a post-processing unit which are connected with each other, and a post-processing screw running through the post-processing feeding unit and the post-processing unit.

A toner supply roller is provided which has the most uniform and greatest possible foam cell diameters and a lower hardness particularly even in a lower-temperature and lower-humidity environment as compared with the conventional art and is less liable to suffer from imaging failure such as uneven density and white streaks. An image forming apparatus employing the toner supply roller is also provided. The toner supply roller (1) is produced by preparing a rubber composition which contains a rubber component including an epichlorohydrin rubber and an acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, an electrically conductive carbon black, a crosslinking component and a foaming component and, while extruding the rubber composition into a tubular body, continuously foaming and crosslinking the rubber composition of the tubular body by a continuous crosslinking apparatus including a microwave crosslinking device and a hot air crosslinking device. The image forming apparatus incorporates the toner supply roller (1).

A method for producing devulcanized rubber and an apparatus (100) therefor. The method for producing devulcanized rubber comprises the steps of (1) providing vulcanized rubber particles with a pre-determined particle size and (2) devulcanizing the vulcanized rubber particles. The vulcanized rubber particles are devulcanized mechanically by impact forces and devulcanized chemically by a chemical composition. The impact forces break sulphur-sulphur and sulphur-carbon bonds of the vulcanized rubber particles causing surfaces of the rubber to become receptive in reacting with the chemical composition and the chemical composition renders the sulphur passive to prevent reattachment of the bonds, of which the chemical composition comprises at least one accelerator, at least one inorganic activator and at least one organic activator.

A method for producing devulcanized rubber and an apparatus (100) therefor. The method for producing devulcanized rubber comprises the steps of (1) providing vulcanized rubber particles with a pre-determined particle size and (2) devulcanizing the vulcanized rubber particles. The vulcanized rubber particles are devulcanized mechanically by impact forces and devulcanized chemically by a chemical composition. The impact forces break sulphur-sulphur and sulphur-carbon bonds of the vulcanized rubber particles causing surfaces of the rubber to become receptive in reacting with the chemical composition and the chemical composition renders the sulphur passive to prevent reattachment of the bonds, of which the chemical composition comprises at least one accelerator, at least one inorganic activator and at least one organic activator.