Browsing by Author "De Silva, MIA"

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item: Article-Abstract
A Novel Reclaiming Agent for Ground Rubber Tyre (GRT). Part 1: Property Evaluation of Virgin Natural Rubber (NR)/Novel Reclaimed GRT Blend Compounds
Premachandra, BAJK; Edirisinghe, DG; De Silva, MIA
Use of reclaimed rubber as a component of a blend with virgin rubber or as a replacement for the virgin material in most rubber applications, especially in tyre components, has increased in the recent past. This is due to the increase in prices of natural and synthetic rubbers and growing concern about environmental issues. This research is aimed at evaluating the properties of rubber compounds produced by blending virgin natural rubber (NR) with ground rubber tyre (GRT), which was modified using a readily available, environmentally friendly, low-cost amino compound. Initially, reclaiming of 40 mesh GRT in the presence of rubber processing oil was studied at four different concentrations of the amino compound and two milling time periods. Mechanochemical reclaiming/devulcanisation was performed at a temperature of 30–70°C, using a laboratory two-roll mill. Properties such as initial plasticity, swelling ratio, crosslink density, and molecular weight between two crosslinks (Mc) of the reclaimed rubber samples were evaluated. Rubber compounds were prepared in the second stage by blending the reclaimed GRT samples with virgin NR in a ratio of 15:85. Mooney viscosity, initial plasticity, cure characteristics, and dynamic properties of the above blend compounds were evaluated and compared with those of the control compounds. This study shows that the amino compound acts as a devulcanising/reclaiming agent for GRT. Rubber compounds prepared by blending virgin NR with novel reclaimed rubber exhibit higher stock viscosity, lower scorch resistance, and lower hysteresis in comparison with the control compounds.
item: Article-Abstract
A Novel reclaiming agent for ground rubber tyre (GRT). Part I I: property evaluation of virgin natural rubber (NR)/Novel Reclaimed GRT revulcanisates
Edirisinghe, DG; De Silva, MIA; Premachandra, BAJK
Blending of recycled scrap rubber such as reclaimed rubber with virgin rubber has increased over the last few years, especially in the manufacture of tyre components. The reason for this is the growing concern about the effect of rubber product waste on the environment and the rise in the costs of virgin rubbers. In this study, physicomechanical properties such as tensile properties, tear strength, hardness, resilience, abrasion resistance, ageing performance, and swelling behaviour as well as carbon black dispersion rating of 85/15 virgin NRinovel reclaimed ground rubber tyre (GRT) revulcanisates were evaluated and compared with those of control vulcanisates. Results revealed that the abrasion volume loss of blends of virgin NR and novel reclaimed rubber revulcanisates is lower than that of revulcanisate prepared with a blend of 85/15 virgin NRI reclaimed rubber (Control (Rec)), produced locally, and comparable with that of 100% NR vulcanisate (Control (NR)).Although the tensile strength and elongation at break of the virgin NRinovel reclaimed rubber revulcanisates are lower than those of the Control (NR) vulcanisate, these values are at a level acceptable for tyre treads. Hence, the 85/15 virgin NRinovel reclaimed rubber revulcanisates prepared with the readily available, low-cost, environmentally friendly amino compound can be used as an alternative to the Control (NR) and Control (Rec) vulcanisates in tyre treads.