Rheological properties of a reclaimed waste tire rubber through high-pressure high-temperature sintering

Abstract

High-Pressure High-Temperature (HPHT) sintering method has successfully revulcanized waste tire rubber (WTR) without any additional virgin rubber. The crumb rubber cleaned from its fabric and metals was reclaimed by applying high pressure (25 MPa) and high temperature (200 °C) for an hour along with common vulcanization agents such as sulfur, zinc oxide, and stearic acid. Dynamic properties of reclaimed WTR were assessed through shear rheology test on MCR302 Rheometer, Anton Paar, Austria. The results indicated that under steady test, the yield stress occurred at 31 kPa at 5% linear viscoelastic limit. The storage modulus ranged from 0.6 to 0.7 MPa under excitation frequency of 0.1 to 100 Hz and 1% strain amplitude. Under ramp strain amplitude, the storage modulus showed Payne Effect phenomenon at 0.8 to 1 % strain amplitude and 1 Hz excitation frequency. In general, the resulted dynamic properties was comparable with non-reclaimed rubber based on a literature survey. The results confirmed that HPHT sintering method was capable of reclaiming 100% WTR without an additional virgin rubber and achieving acceptable dynamic properties.