Repsol to present at IEC on environmentally friendly aromatic extender oils in tire manufacturing

Madrid, Spain – Repsol is exhibiting with ChemSpec at International Elastomer Conference Booth #1315. Repsol and ChemSpec have work successfully for many years in both the U.S. and Canada distributing Repsol’s REDEZON® microcrystalline waxes. And recently, another Repsol product line, process oils, has come to the forefront of customer interest in North America.

Repsol produces low-toxicity aromatic process oils (TDAE, MES, & RAE) as alternatives to commonly used high-polyaromatic oils in tire/belting manufacturing.  Going under the tradename, EXTENSOIL®, These rubber processing extender oils (“RPOs”) are a key component in varied rubber formulations, particularly tire. European legislation forbids the use of high-polyaromatic RPOs in tire formulations. Many countries and individual rubber manufacturers are now following suit and banning high-polyaromatics from tire and other rubber formulas.  Accordingly, the global rubber industry is looking to use safer EU-approved, environmentally-friendly RPOs such as the EXTENSOIL line.

The chemistry of the different extender oil alternatives is very important to achieve the best performance in a rubber. In this sense, low-toxicity aromatic oils, often called “non-labelled extender oils,” like TDAE, MES, and RAE, due to their aromaticity, are especially suitable for tire, belting and other rubber formulations. These oils are highly compatible with rubber polymer, and give better mechanical and physical compound performance versus other RPOs (e.g., decreases stiffness, increases shear strength, improves low temp. properties, etc.).

To learn more about ETENSOIL RPOs and Repsol’s REDEZON microcrystalline waxes, stop by Booth #1315 or reach-out to your respective ChemSpec salesperson.