Processing a difficult urethane elastomer system. [Adiprene/butanediol/trimethylolpropane]

• Main Author: Gillespie, T.J.
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2021
• Subjects: 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; ELASTOMERS; PRODUCTION; CONNECTORS; CRACKS; NEUTRON SOURCES; STRESSES; URETHANE; CARBAMATES; CARBONIC ACID DERIVATIVES; CARBOXYLIC ACID SALTS; CONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS; PARTICLE SOURCES; POLYMERS; RADIATION SOURCES; Carbonic acid
• Online Access: http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/7307931; https://www.osti.gov/biblio/7307931; https://doi.org/10.2172/7307931

A detailed study of an adiprene/butanediol/trimethylolpropane elastomer system and the associated production process was performed to assess the importance of various processing factors on the physical properties of the system. Results indicated that control of the curing cycle, material ratio, moisture in the curing agent and elastomer, mixing, and vacuum level was necessary. Sufficient control of the manual process could not be obtained to eliminate significant physical property variability. An automatic metering, mixing and dispensing machine was purchased for laboratory evaluation. After modification, including the addition of a high shear vacuum type mixer, and with close vacuum and temperature control, material property variability was still at an unacceptable level. A tracer agent was introduced into the curing agent system to assess the distribution of the curing agent in the elastomer. Machine evaluation using the tracer agent indicated that distribution of the curing agent in the elastomer was very poor is spite of the high shear mixing configuration. The addition of an oscillating motion to the mixing configuration. The addition of an oscillating motion to the mixing system significantly improved curing agent distribution and eliminated material property variability problems. 16 figures, 3 tables.