Major Reduction in Chemical Curatives for Rubber Articles-Juniper Publishers
JUNIPER PUBLISHERS- ACADEMIC JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE Opinion The sulfur cure system in the ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM)-based Curtain Wall Seal (CWS) has two accelerators, adding up to 2.75 parts per hundred rubber (phr) by weight, and two activators (ZnO: 5phr, stearic acid:1phr) [1]. In total, 8.75phr chemicals are used to fully cure the article with 1phr elemental sulfur. In rubber formulations, chemical curatives are indispensable and once reacted with sulfur at elevated temperature, they produce crosslinks between the rubber chains and provide shape stability, which is essential for the performance, durability and life of the final product in service. Excessive use of chemical curatives is harmful to health, safety, and the environment. According to the European Directive 67/548/E...