Refining of rubber

Raw rubber is very elastic and lacks the plasticity required for processing, making it inconvenient to process. In order to improve its plasticity, the raw rubber must be masticated so that the ingredients can be easily dispersed evenly in the raw rubber during mixing. At the same time, it also helps to improve the permeability of the rubber into the fiber fabric and the molding fluidity during the calendering and molding processes.

The process of degrading the long-chain molecules of raw rubber to form plasticity is called mastication. There are two methods of plasticizing raw rubber: mechanical plasticizing and thermal plasticizing. Mechanical mastication is the process of degrading and shortening long-chain rubber molecules from a highly elastic state to a plastic state through the mechanical extrusion and friction of the mastication machine at a not too high temperature. Thermoplasticizing is the process of passing hot compressed air into raw rubber to degrade and shorten long-chain molecules under the action of heat and oxygen to obtain plasticity.