2021

ArticlesAutomotive Elastomers & PartFeaturedOil, Gas & Energy
RubberWorld 3838 Views ,

Seals prevent bearing damage in EVs

Freudenberg Sealing Technologies’ new generation electrically conductive seals prevent bearing damage caused by electrically induced corrosion, and also increase electromagnetic compatibility. Electric cars with drive systems that operate at 800 volts instead of the usual 400 can recharge in just 15 minutes, and produce enough power to drive several hundred kilometers. The power semiconductors in the inverter ensure that the direct current stored in the battery is converted into the alternating current required by the electric motor while driving. These power electronics are often positioned directly above the electric motor, and are also known as electric engine injection systems.

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ArticlesFeaturedSilicone & Medical
RubberWorld 3683 Views , ,

Part design simulations for silicone rubber components

The successful design of medical device components is increasingly dependent on simulations based on finite element analysis (FEA). Simulations provide a rapid and cost-effective way to determine optimal construction of multi-component systems, as well as information on how components interact with each other during use. Investing in accurate, early design simulations can provide significant resource savings by decreasing the amount of iterative loops necessary in the prototype process to validate the overall device design for FDA or other governing body approvals.

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ArticlesFeaturedSilicone & Medical
RubberWorld 7208 Views , , ,

An overview of the silicone recycling process

With global annual production of silicone expected to grow to 2.9 million tons by 2025, it is increasingly important to have an environmentally-friendly end-of-life option for silicone products. The current solution for discarding silicone scrap is to either landfill or incinerate it. Both of these are detrimental choices for the environment.

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silicone
ArticlesFeaturedSilicone & Medical
RubberWorld 4028 Views , , , ,

Effects of aerosil on the properties of silicone rubber

Silicones or polysiloxanes belong to a class of elastomers and are often referred to as silicone rubber. The prevailing type of polysiloxanes is polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Development began in 1940 when Eugene G. Rochow and Richard Müller independently developed the synthesis of methylchlorosilanes directly from elemental silicon. This discovery marked the beginning of a series of important findings on a new class of materials, namely silicone elastomers. The first silicone based product was a coating for the airplane industry, presented in 1942 by Dow. Presently, silicones are used in thousands of applications. Worldwide, the market for silicone consumption shows steady growth year after year

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ArticlesExtrusion
RubberWorld 5863 Views , ,

CPE: A unique polymer for rubber and plastics extrusion

Chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) polymers were developed by DuPont in the late 1950s by a simple chlorination of polyethylene (PE) in a solution process using a solvent. In 1971, Dow Chemical Company introduced Tyrin CPE using a more efficient and cost-effective aqueous suspension chlorination known as the slurry process. The polyethylene feedstock is in a powder form and the final CPE product remains in powder form. The chlorination process can be modified to produce amorphous (non-crystalline) products or products that contain residual crystallinity

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ArticlesFeaturedLatex and Natural Rubber
RubberWorld 3383 Views , ,

CO2-switchable materials for the rubber industry

Recent developments in stimuli-responsive or “smart” materials offer the opportunity for major advances in material design that could impact markets for latexes. One of the lesser known, but simpler technologies includes polymers and latexes whose properties can be dramatically, and reversibly, switched simply by adding or removing CO2. The processes used offer advantages in sustainability without requiring expensive materials or catalysts, and are based on currently used materials and production methods. This article will give a general overview of three examples relevant to latexes and coatings

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