revulcanized

Revulcanization is a process that reconstructs a vulcanized rubber compound by breaking down the crosslinks that are formed during the vulcanization process. This process was developed to restore the viscoelastic properties of rubber, which are lost during vulcanization, in order to make it more suitable for a particular application.

The original vulcanization process was invented by Charles Goodyear in 1839. It involves the addition of sulfur to rubber, which causes the rubber molecules to crosslink with each other. While this process has many benefits, including increased strength and thermal stability, it can also have negative effects such as reduced flexibility and increased brittleness.

Revulcanization, on the other hand, works by reversing the vulcanization process through the use of chemicals or heat. This process typically involves treating the rubber with a reductant, such as zinc oxide or stearic acid, which reduces the sulfur crosslinks and reverts the rubber to its original state. Alternatively, the rubber can be treated with heat, which causes the broken networks in the rubber molecules to reconfigure themselves into a more fluid state.

Revulcanization has several potential applications, including the recovery of valuable rubber materials from scrap and waste, and the restoration of usable life to tired or worn-out rubber products. This process has the potential to be an efficient and cost-effective method for recycling and rehabilitating rubber materials. However, further research is needed to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of revulcanization on a large scale.