Rubber is used for a lot of products.
But do you know how it becomes the pliable, strong material you’re used to?
It’s important for you to understand the rubber vulcanization process – especially when you’re in the market for a new pressure tank to speed up your process.
Let’s look at some of the basics and then dive into more specific information about vulcanized rubber.
You’ll also get an inside look at the process it goes through to become the product you know and love, including the role of pressure tanks for vulcanizing rubber.
Vulcanized rubber is natural rubber – obtained from a rubber tree – that is pressure treated with chemicals.
It has many applications in a variety of industries.
The process of transforming natural rubber to vulcanized rubber involves the use of chemicals and high heat to cross-link molecules.
Natural rubber is not very useful – it melts easily, breaks when cold and is rather sticky.
Vulcanizing rubber is the only way to turn it into a functional product.
The process of vulcanization creates bridges between the individual polymer chains that exist within natural rubber.
This allows the rubber to then be deformed when stress is applied and return to normal when that stress is removed.
Here’s how it’s done:
The role of pressure tanks for the vulcanization of rubber is an important one.
They make the process happen more quickly, allowing you to increase production.
Vulcanized rubber is used in many different industries, and people have come to rely on it.
Some of the most common applications for vulcanized rubber include:
Pretty much anything rubber that you can find in your home or office is made using vulcanized rubber.
Vulcanized rubber has many benefits.
It’s strong and firm because the bonds created in the pressure tank with sulfur are cross-linked on an atomic level.
These bonds allow the rubber to stand up to stress and damage.
While it’s elastic and will return to its original state when stretched, it’s up to 10 times more rigid than natural rubber.
This rigidity makes vulcanized rubber more difficult to bend in the first place, making it extremely useful in heavier applications.
Other advantages of vulcanized rubber include low-water absorption, resistance to oxidation, and resistance to organic solvents, fats and oils.
A pressure tank for vulcanizing rubber needs to be in good shape and working to its highest capacity to ensure the rubber quality is up to par.
Vulcanized rubber doesn’t really have many disadvantages – especially when compared to non-vulcanized rubber.
However, there are a couple downsides.
it does have slight toxicity when burned and it cools very quickly after being melted, which can make it harmful for the person handling it.
The only way for vulcanized rubber to actually harm someone, though, is if it is heated on purpose.
Vulcanized rubber is an essential part of most industries and has been used in most people’s daily lives for more than a century.
Your process is only as good as the tools you have at your disposal.
To vulcanize rubber in the most efficient way, you need to have a pressure tank that’s built for the job and can stand the test of time.
Work with a company that can guide you from design through the manufacture, maintenance and repair of your pressure tank for vulcanizing rubber.
How could your rubber vulcanization process benefit from a custom pressure tank?
