This reliable and multifunctional wet rubber

Rubber has been known since the discovery of America by Columbus. The Indians used the milky juice of the rubberized Hevea tree to seal the bottoms of boats, create dishes, waterproof shoes, and also to make balls. But in Europe, rubber for a long time was not widely used (until the XIX century). And all because the raw rubber eventually dried up and became firm. The invention of a method for returning rubber to its original properties, as well as its temperature stabilization, has created a real boom in the production of rubber products.

Since rubber plantations could not provide ever-increasing demand, over time, a method was developed for obtaining synthetic rubber, which we still use. In modern production, raw rubber and rubber compounds are used. In its raw form it is used for the manufacture of all kinds of products, as a rule - seals, as well as repair of automobile tires and cameras by a hot method (vulcanization). Of the mixtures, many different products are created, which are used in almost all industries. Both that, and other material are issued in the form of sheets or a continuous tape (cloth). Their purpose can be very different - medical, food, dielectric, oil-and-oil resistant, etc.

Using raw rubber for repairing automobile tires

Motorists often encounter cases of mechanical damage to tires (and also chambers). In most cases, the damaged tire can be repaired. This can be done both cold and hot vulcanization. Cold is performed with a special composition (activator of the butyl layer), and hot vulcanization with raw rubber.

The connection of rubber components with cold vulcanization is carried out without their heat treatment. This method takes much longer and requires strict adherence to the established technology. Hot vulcanization can be carried out in any, including in the field, conditions. For this, only raw rubber and vulcanizer are required. Vulcanizers can be stationary, portable (operating from 220 V) and portable (working from the automotive network).

How to use raw rubber for vulcanization

First of all, the area of damage must be thoroughly cleaned of dirt, treated with sandpaper and degreased. After this, it is necessary to superimpose a patch of raw rubber on the cut and place it in the vulcanizer. To prevent clumping between the patch and the heating element , a sheet of paper is usually laid.

Crude rubber looks like a kind of plastic mixture, which, when vulcanized, penetrates deeply enough into the damage and reliably closes it. When heated, it becomes strong, but remains elastic. The temperature at which vulcanization takes place is on the order of 140-160 ^o C. When this temperature is reached (determined by the color change of the paper), the vulcanizer is switched off. After the product has completely cooled down, it is ready for further use.

It is not recommended to allow a temperature increase of more than 160 ° C, as this results in rubber sagging and, as a consequence, loss of elasticity.