Vulcanization

Introduction 

Erasers are an integral part of everyone’s life while growing up. You must have used erasers during childhood to erase wrong sentences or words while writing or tying hair with a rubber band. Have you ever thought about what they are made up of? Let us tell you; these are made using rubbers extracted from the rainforest. However, with the increase in demand, several synthetic processes came into existence to meet human needs. 

Today, in this study material notes on Vulcanization, we will introduce the rubber products, types of rubber, preparation of rubber, and other related topics. So, without any further ado, let’s get started with Vulcanization study material.

Introduction to Rubber Products 

In our day-to-day life, we came across multiple rubber products such as rubber bands, rubber footwear, erasers, and so on that make our lives easier by meeting our needs. These products hold the ability to re-shape themselves or come in their real shape after being distorted or stretched; as a result, it comes under the category of elastomer. In simple terms, rubber is a common substance that can be driven naturally as well as artificially. 

Types of Rubber 

Mainly, there are two major types of rubber, depending on their origin. These include- 

• Natural rubber 
• Synthetic rubber 

Earlier, only natural rubber was used; however, with the increase in demand, it was decided to introduce synthetic rubbers. Today, these are available in a wide variety, including commercial black rubber, EPDM, also known as Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer rubber, IIR known as Isobutylene-isoprene, SBR or Styrene-butadiene rubber, NBR or nitrile butadiene rubber, and so on. 

Let’s discuss both types of rubbers in detail! 

What is Natural Rubber? 

The natural rubbers are elastomers that are made naturally using solid particles suspended in latex or milky white liquid that comes from the barks of several subtropical and tropical trees. Brazil, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka are the major producers of natural rubbers. It is composed of isoprene (2 methyl-1, 3-butadiene), whose chemical formula is (C5H8) n. This is commonly referred to as cis- 1, 4- polyisoprene. 

Preparation of Natural Rubber

The process of preparing natural rubber is pretty long. Let’s closely understand it in detail-

• Rubber tapping – Initially, the latex or the milky white solution is collected in a small container or a cup by making a small V-Cut on the subtropical and tropical trees. The latex which is collected is then washed using regular water, filtered, and reacted with other acids for congealing the particles of rubber. 
• Mastication – The rubber is still not ready to reach your home. Once it’s cold, it is extremely brittle; however, if it’s warmed, it becomes extremely glued. For removing strong odour and brittle nature, it is passed in between the roller multiple times to attain softness and flexibility. During this process, several chemicals are added to maximise the rubber properties. 
• Calendering – The next step is Calendering which is mainly concerned with shaping the rubber with the help of rollers. 
• Lastly, the final product is passed through several machines and hollow tubes to give definition to the rubber, 
• Vulcanisation – Even after performing all these steps, the rubber is not yet ready to be used in the automobile or transportation industry. In order to maximise the existing properties, sulphur is used in the rubber, and then it is heated at a temperature from 373 K to 415 K. the entire heating process is referred to as the vulcanisation process. After this, the rubber attains all its properties and becomes hard. 

A Quick Comparison Between Natural Rubber and Vulcanised Rubber 

What is Synthetic Rubber? 

Unlike natural rubbers, Synthetic rubbers are produced using natural gases and petroleum. In the recent past, several types of Synthetic rubbers came into existence with different monomer units. Currently, more than twenty types of Synthetic rubbers are easily available in the market. The common types are Neoprene and Buna S. 

Uses of Rubber 

Here are several uses of both natural and synthetic rubber – 

• These rubbers can be used to line chutes, bins and industrial mixers. Since they are water-proof, they are good insulators. 
• Rubbers are widely used in the clothing industry as expandable clothes, including gym shorts and so on. 
• Rubbers are highly preferred to use on floors to give padding. 

Conclusion 

With this, we come to the end of our study material on Vulzanization. Vulzanization is one of the most interesting topics in Chemistry. In this Study material notes on Vulcanization, we studied rubber in detail. We also covered different types of rubber and other related topics. In the end, we made a quick comparison between natural rubber and synthetic rubber. We hope that this study material must have helped you attain a greater understanding of the topic.