Rubber Technologists Handbook

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Rubber Technologists Handbook （橡胶技术手册）

J. White S. De (RAPRA 2001)
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& \5 U4 J( e' A* m9 ~" OFrom a materials point of view a rubber product is made from rubber and a host of other
additives, including fillers, vulcanising agents and processing aids along with reinforcing
materials such as textiles. From a manufacturing point of view, a rubber product is made
by following several steps: mixing of additives with the rubber (‘compounding’) when
the rubber is unvulcanised and in the plastic state; shaping the rubber compound and/or
bonding it to a substrate; and finally vulcanising or curing the whole assembly, when
chemical crosslinks are formed between the rubber molecules to give the material its
‘elastic’ recovery behaviour. The final properties of a rubber product depend on the type
1 F; }2 {# c: ?! p$ p1 @of rubber chosen and the additives used and their concentrations. The properties of the
rubber can be further manipulated by varying the processing steps or manufacturing
operations. The cost of a rubber product depends not only on the price of the raw materials
but also on the efficiency of the processing operations. In the last few decades new materials
have emerged and manufacturing has become increasingly automated and more efficient.
+ `2 ~/ u5 v  a) kThis handbook aims to provide a basic foundation in rubber technology and to collate
the most recent developments in the form of chapters, written by experts in their respective
fields. The handbook is intended to serve the needs of those who are already in the
rubber industry and of new entrants who aspire to build a career in rubber and allied
areas. Materials Science students and researchers, designers and engineers should all
find the handbook very helpful.
Fourteen chapters deal with natural rubber, synthetic rubbers, thermoplastic elastomers,
fillers, compounding additives, mixing, engineering design, testing, tyre technology,
. W& _0 I7 D4 Q* ?% mautomotive applications, footwear, rubbers in construction, durability of rubber products,
' s8 P1 I& x% _; u) m3 Vand rubber recycling. It is obvious that several important topics could not be
accommodated in the current volume and it is intended that a second volume of the
0 b9 o) O1 u5 X* B/ E+ Zhandbook will be published by RAPRA Technology Ltd in the near future to extend the
coverage. We gratefully acknowledge the cooperation from all of the contributors, without
. Y  S% r1 O4 _- u4 swhom this handbook would not have been a reality. We are especially grateful to the
) @* B" Y  t- T, Ecommissioning editor, Ms Frances Powers, for her unique combination of professionalism
and good humour: her prompt and pointed responses to all of our requests for assistance
' G! X. n' h4 s: a" f0 l; hwere invaluable. We wish to commend all of the staff at RAPRA Technology Ltd who
  x+ l3 Q0 V, P* ucontributed to the excellent production of the handbook, especially Claire Griffiths and
Sandra Hall.