A method of manufacturing an elastic polymer aerogel material includes dissolving tire waste, the tire waste including natural rubber, synthetic polymers, steel, fillers, and curing systems, in a solvent to form a first mixture and dissolving a polymer having at least one double carbon-carbon bond in the solvent to form a second mixture. The first mixture and the second mixture are combined, wherein the tire waste reacts with the polymer having at least one double carbon-carbon bond to form a reactant gel. The reactant gel undergoes a solvent exchange followed by freeze drying to form the elastic polymer aerogel material, wherein the elastic polymer aerogel material defines a 3D porous structure.

The invention relates to a process for devulcanizing a vulcanized rubber mixture, comprising the following steps: A) providing or producing a vulcanized rubber mixture, B) comminuting the vulcanized rubber mixture into a granulate of vulcanized rubber particles, C) extruding the vulcanized rubber particles produced in step B) in a twin-screw extruder to form a devulcanized rubber mixture, wherein, during the extruding in step C) at least one regeneration reagent is added to the extruded rubber particles, wherein the regeneration reagent comprises at least one silane, at least one plasticizer, at least one aging stabilizer or mixtures thereof. The invention also comprises an apparatus for performing the method and the uses of the apparatus, and a rubber mixture and also a pneumatic vehicle tyre or a technical rubber article comprising a component composed of the rubber mixture.

A method and system for generating a modified and enhanced dissolved tire rubber bitumen compound are described. The method includes receiving an rapid digestion process (“RDP”) compound, a bitumen compound, and a sulfur cross-linking agent. First heating the RDP compound, the bitumen compound, and the sulfur cross-linking agent to 320° F. to 420° F. with mixing for 3 to 5 hours. The method then proceeds to add SBC to the RDP compound, the bitumen compound, and the sulfur cross-linking agent. The RDP compound, the bitumen compound, the sulfur cross-linking agent, and the SBC are second heated to 320° F. to 420° F. with mixing for 15 minutes to 120 minutes.

A method and system for generating a rapid digestion process (“RDP”) product are described. The method includes receiving a bitumen compound and first heating the bitumen compound to 320° F. to 420° F. The method then proceeds to add tire rubber to the bitumen compound. The bitumen compound and the tire rubber are mixed for 5 minutes to 360 minutes during a second heating to 525° F. to 700° F. Further, sulfur is added to the mixture of tire rubber and bitumen compound. These steps generate the RDP product. The RDP product is then cooled for transfer to a storage vessel.

Crumb rubber obtained from recycled tires is subjected to a process involving photodissociation to break a sulfur bond, sulfur-sulfur and/or sulfur-carbon bonds. The process utilizes a component that generates photonic energy upon being subjected to a compressing force (e.g., pressure). The photonic energy is bandwidth resonant with the sulfur-sulfur and/or sulfur-carbon bond, causing the bond to break apart. The resulting rubber is suitable for use in applications typically utilizing virgin rubber, such as new tires, engineered rubber articles, and asphalt rubber for use in waterproofing and paving applications.

A method of combining rubbers and plastics when injection molding, and compositions usable in injection molding, are shown and described. Comminuted rubber from waste tires and waste plastics including any of high density polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polypropylene are combined and heated to melt at least the plastics. In one optional approach, both are melted. Plastics comprise from twenty to eighty percent by weight of the mixture, with rubber accounting for the balance. The mixture may be fortified with bonding, compatibilizing, and strengthening agents. The compositions may be cooled and pelletized for immediate use in injection operations.

The present invention relates to a devulcanized rubber obtained by mixing a devulcanizing agent having an alkylsulfonamide group and a vulcanized rubber. The devulcanizing agent preferably contains a sulfonamide compound of an alkylamine having 12 or more carbon atoms. The present invention also relates to a rubber composition comprising the devulcanized rubber. The rubber composition preferably contains 1 to 30 parts by mass of the devulcanized rubber per 100 parts by mass of a total amount of an unvulcanized rubber component in the rubber composition.

The presently disclosed subject matter generally relates to environmentally friendly asphalt binder additive.

Crumb rubber obtained from recycled tires is subjected to an interlinked substitution process. The process utilizes a reactive component that interferes with sulfur bonds. The resulting treated rubber exhibits properties similar to those of the virgin composite rubber structure prior to being granulated, and is suitable for use in fabricating new tires, engineered rubber articles, and asphalt rubber for use in waterproofing and paving applications.

A process for recovery and devulcanization of vulcanized rubber is provided. The process takes place in a plant including a mill for grinding vulcanized rubber into particles, a twin-screw extruder provided with a device for forced feeding of vulcanized rubber particles and a thermostatting device, a single-screw extruder arranged downstream of the twin-screw extruder and equipped with a thermostatting device, a filter for devulcanized rubber and an extrusion die shaped like a slot, from the which devulcanized rubber comes out in the form of a strip or sheet, and a cooling device for the devulcanized rubber strip or sheet. The twin-screw extruder operates at a temperature between 35 and 450° C., with a rotation speed of the screws between 15 and 600 rpm, and a torque density between 11 and 18 Nm/cm.sup.3, so that the shear rate remains constant for the entire longitudinal extension of the twin-screw extruder.