Scientists have created rubber that can recover on its own

Australian scientists have created self-renewing rubber, which in the future can be used to create large objects, including automobile tires. The results of the study are described in the journal Chemical Science.

New rubber material made from cheap industrial waste such as sulfur, rapeseed oil and dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) obtained from petroleum refining can be completely restored to its initial strength within minutes – even at room temperature – using an amine catalyst.

The amine catalyst, which is used to start the reaction, which leads to self-healing of the rubber, in some cases occurs within a few minutes, and all this is done at room temperature, scientists say.

Scientists note that today a huge amount of rubber is thrown away, since it is not subject to secondary alteration. In Australia alone, 48 million tires annually reach the end of their service life, of which 16% are recycled and the rest end up in landfills. Moreover, each tire for a passenger car contains approximately 1.5 kg of steel, 0.5 kg of textile and 7 kg of rubber.

“This study reveals a new concept for the repair, adhesion and recycling of environmentally friendly rubber”, – Australian scientists say.

A new type of rubber is an innovative rubber that can bond to itself after the application of the amine catalyst. Moreover, such a polymer is resistant to water and corrosion, while rubber bricks are stronger than ordinary ones.

Source: cikavosti.com