Experiment # 1

Fabrication of Elastomeric Profile Using Conveying Extruder.

Equipment & Materials:

Conveying extruder
Rubber sheet
Die
Burner
Oven
Cutter

Procedure:

First of all take the sample of uncured natural rubber sheet.

Cut the sheet into long strips.
Turn on the extruder.
Put the strips into the extruder through hopper one by one.
Heat the die with external burner flame.
The feed becomes soft and comes out of the die with specific profile.
Put the uncured natural rubber profile in the oven.
Set the temperature at 140 C and wait for 40 minutes.
After this cured natural rubber profile is obtained.

Precautions:
Do not heat the die as much that the elastomeric get cured in the die.
Temperature in the oven is not above the degradation temperature of natural rubber.

Observations:
Before curing the rubber sheet is flexible, soft and stretchable but after curing, rubber becomes
hard and less stretchable.

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Experiment # 2
Curing of Elastomer Using Electric Press.

Equipment & Materials:

Electric press
Mold
Cutter
Uncured rubber sheet
Safety gloves

Procedure:

Select the suitable mold.

Cut the rubber sheet in to small pieces.
Place these pieces in the mold cavity.
Place the mold between plates of electric press.
Before placing the mold in electric press, set the desire temperature 290 F (143 C) for
upper plate and 284 F (140 C) for lower plate and wait until desire temperature is
reached.
Close the gates of electric press and wait for 10 minutes. At start pressure is atmospheric.
Now increase the pressure gradually with time.
After 40 minutes, remove the mold from electric press and open the mold and wait until it
cools down.
Take the sample out and observe the properties.

Observations:
After curing the product becomes hard and less stretchable and also unsticky. On more stretching
it breaks. But before curing it is stretchable, shiny and soft.

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Experiment # 3
Make a Blend of two different Elastomers using twin blade internal mixer.

Formulation:
Ingredients
Amount (Phr)
Amount (g)
Chloroprene
30
5.7
Rubber
Styrene Butadiene
70
13.3
Rubber
Silica
30
5.7
ZnO
2
0.38
Stearic Acid
1
0.19
MBTS
2
0.38
TMTD
1
0.19
Sulphur
1.5
0.285
Processing Oil
5
0.95
Antidegradent
2
0.38
Where Conversion Factor for Phr into grams is 0.19.

Procedure:
First set the temperature of the melt mixer of 50C and RPM of 45 revolutions per
minutes.
Then take styrene butadiene rubber and put it into the mixer and mix for 2 minutes.
Add chloroprene rubber and mix for 2 minutes.
After this add silica and wait for 7 minutes and then add all other ingredients.
And mix them for 10 minutes and take the blend out of the mixer.

Observations:
Initially before blending SBR has shiny appearance, sticky and has no bouncy effect.
Chloroprene has light brown colour has no flexibility and less stretchable before blending. But
after blending the colour of blend becomes gray. Individual ingredients are visible which shows
good mixing.

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Experiment # 4
Compounding of an elastomer using two roll mill.

Formulation:
Ingredients
Amount (Phr)
Amount (g)
Natural Rubber
100
500
Carbon Black
60
300
Silica
50
250
Sulphur
2
10
MBTS
2
10
TMTD
2
10
Antidegradent
1
5
ZnO
2
10
Stearic Acid
1
5
Processing Oil
10
50
Where Conversion Factor for Phr into grams is 5.

Procedure:
After turning on two roll mill put the natural rubber in between the two rollers of two roll
mill and wrap the rubber on roller for 10 minutes.
Add silica and carbon black gradually and mix it for 15 minutes.
Then take all the other ingredients and sprinkle them on the rubber and mix for 10
minutes.
After this elastomeric sheet is formed.
Cover the rubber sheet in plastic sheet and put it in the freezer so that the curing does not
start.
Water is circulated from the rollers to maintain the temperature of the rollers.

Observations:
After compounding the colour of product is black due to carbon black. The product has sticky
effect. Individual ingridients are not shown also the colour does not stick on your hand on
touching then it shows good mixing.

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Experiment # 5
Blending of Thermoplastic and Elastomer using twin blade melt mixer.

Formulation:
Ingredients
Amount (Phr)
Amount (g)
Polypropylene
60
13.2
Polychloroprene
40
8.8
Silica
25
5.5
Sulphur
0.6
0.132
MBTS
0.8
0.176
TMTD
0.4
0.088
ZnO
0.8
0.176
Stearic Acid
0.4
0.088
Processing Oil
4
0.88
Where Conversion Factor for Phr into grams is 0.22.

Procedure:
First set the temperature of the heaters of melt mixer at 160C and RPM as 45 revolutions
per minutes.
Then take polypropylene and put it into the mixer and mix for 1 minute.
And polychloroprene and mix for 1 minute.
After this add silica and wait for 5 minutes and then add all other ingredients.
And mix it for further 2 minutes and take the blend out of the mixer.

Observations:
Polychloroprene has colour of light brown and in the form of flakes while polypropylene has
whitish appearance and in the form of grains. The blend formed has brownish black colour and is
brittle because due to high temperature the blend burnt. The increases temperature is 170C.

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Experiment # 6
To get the mechanical properties of polymer sample using Universal Testing Machine
(UTM).

Material:
Polypropylene sample (dogbone shape)

Material Dimensions:

Specimen length = 119mm using vernier calliper

Gauge length = 30 mm
Width = 6 mm
Thickness = 3.2 mm

ASTM D638:
ASTM D638 is used for the tensile testing of polymer sample. The type of test is used for sample
having thickness less than 14 mm. if not then reduce the thickness by machining. The sample
given is of type IV so strain rate for which is 1.5 mm/mm.min and the speed of testing is 50
mm/min.

Procedure:

First take all the dimensions as shown above.

Set the thickness, gauge length and width in the computer software of UTM.
Now set the strain rate and speed of testing for the sample.
After this place the sample in the jaws of UTM.
Now start the test. The machine apply the force and break the sample.
Record the load extension curve and obtain the properties from the graph.

Results:
The properties that are obtained from the graph are yield point, fracture point, ultimate tensile
strength (UTS), Strain energy density.

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Experiment # 7
Make the formulations of Different Products.

Formulation of Tire tread (For Light Truck):

Ingredients
Natural Rubber
Carbon Black
TESPT
Sulphur
Processing Oil
ZnO
Stearic Acid
2,2,4-trimethyl 1,2dihydroquinoline
TBBS
Wax

Amount (Phr)
100
60
2
2
2.5
5
3
1.5
1.5
1.5

Formulation of Natural Rubber Base Adhesives:

Ingredients
Natural Rubber (g)
Toluene (ml)
Phenol Formaldehyde (g)

Amount
5
30
5

Procedure:

Take 5 g of natural rubber and dissolve it in 30 ml of Toluene (as solvent).

Keep the rubber solution in conditioned room for 24 hours.
Add 5 g phenol formaldehyde (as a resin) for 100 phr of rubber solution.
After addition of resin constantly stir the rubber solution with glass rod until homogenous
adhesive is formed.
After this left the adhesive for 3 hours.

Formulation of Polyurethane Shoe Sole:

Ingredients
Polyurethane
Carbon Black
Polyicocyanate
ZnO
Stearic Acid

Amount (phr)
100
50
2
20
1
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Formulation of Plasticized PVC Tubing:

Ingredients
PVC
DOP
Calcium Carbonate
Tin
Stearic Acid

Amount (phr)
100
15
40
2
10

Experiment # 8
Determine the crosslink density and bound rubber contents of a rubber.

Procedure:
First take the small piece of cured natural rubber 1x1 inch.
Weight the sample in weight balance.
Put the sample in 35 ml of toluene in a glass jar. So that the sample is completely dipped
in the toluene.
After 3 hours, take the sample out of the glass jar, clean it with tissue paper, weight the
sample and note the reading.
Put the sample back in the jar and place it for one day.
Take the weight of sample as discussed above.
Repeat the procedure every day until weight of the sample become constant.
After this place the sample in the oven for one day at 85 C.
Draw the graph between time and weight of the sample.
Calculate the bound rubber contents and cross link density by the formulae given below.

Crosslink Density:
(

(1)

Where, Nt is the no. of crosslink per unit volume, Vs is the molar volume of swelling solvent, Vr
is the volume fraction of rubber in the swollen gel and X is the polymer/rubber solvent
interaction parameter.

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Bound Rubber Contents:

When an elastomer and reinforcing fillers are mixed, strong interactions occur in such a way that
at room temperature, a good solvent can extract only a free rubber portion, leaving a highly
swollen rubber filler gel. Bound rubber contents is by definition is given by formula.
(
(

)
)

(2)

Where, Rb is the rubber bound content, Wfg is the weight of filler and gel, Wt is the weight of the
sample, mf is the fraction of filler in the compound and mr is the fraction of rubber in the
compound.

Calculations:
Crosslink Density:
Vr = Mr/
Vr = 0.301 cm3
Vs = 50 cm3
X = 0.44
By putting all the values in equation (1), we get

v = 0.0022 g/cm3
Bound Rubber Contents:
Wfg = 5.01 g
Wt = 4.96 g
mf = 0.4673
mr = 0.4032
By putting all values in eq. (2)

Rb = 78.9 %

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Weight of sample (g) Vs Time (hr)

35

Weight of Sample (g)

30
25
20
15
10
5
0
-20

20

40

60

80

Time (hr)

10 | P a g e