1.1 Basic Definition and Characteristics of Rubber
Rubber is a high-elastic polymer material with the ability to undergo large deformations under external force. Once the external force is removed, it can quickly return to its original shape. This is the core characteristic that distinguishes rubber from plastics and fibers.
In the industrial field, raw rubber refers to the unvulcanized rubber matrix (without vulcanizing agents, fillers, etc.); vulcanized rubber is a rubber material that has undergone cross-linking vulcanization and possesses practical physical and mechanical properties. The rubber commonly referred to includes two categories: raw rubber and vulcanized rubber.
1.2 Classification of Rubber
1. According to source
- Natural rubber (NR): Extracted from rubber trees and other plants;
- Synthetic rubber (SR): Polymerized from chemical monomers.
2. According to application
- General rubber: Large production volume, balanced comprehensive performance, suitable for bulk products such as tires, conveyor belts, rubber tubes, transmission belts (natural rubber, styrene-butadiene, butadiene, isoprene, chloroprene, butyl rubber, etc.);
- Special rubber: Possesses special properties such as oil resistance, high temperature resistance, strong corrosion resistance, and low temperature resistance, mostly used in products with harsh working conditions, such as fluorine rubber, silicone rubber, nitrile, acrylate rubber, etc.
3. According to the main chain structure of the molecule: Unsaturated carbon chain rubber, saturated carbon chain rubber.
1.3 Two major systems of rubber industrial raw materials
Raw rubber + Reinforcing material.
1. Raw rubber: The elastic base of rubber products, determining the core attributes such as elasticity, temperature resistance, wear resistance, and aging resistance of the rubber compound; The rubber surface layer of conveyor belts (the rubber of your grass-pattern climbing conveyor belt) is formed by mixing and vulcanizing raw rubber and additives.
2. Reinforcing material: Bearing all the tensile loads of the product, controlling the strength and dimensional stability of the product. The canvas, polyester EP cloth, steel wire rope, and fiber帘布 inside conveyor belts all belong to reinforcing materials.
Key point： For rubber products subjected to force, the rubber base is responsible for wear resistance and anti-slip properties, while the reinforcing layer bears the tensile force and prevents the conveyor belt from elongating and breaking.
1.4 Development and Application Areas of Rubber Industry
Rubber is a fundamental high-molecular material in the national economy. Typical applications include tires, conveyor belts, transmission V-belts, rubber tubes, seals, shock absorbers, rubber shoes, medical rubber, etc.
The large-angle grass-pattern conveyor belt belongs to conveyor belt products and uses raw rubber (the anti-slip rubber on the surface) + fiber reinforcing fabric (the tensile layer).
1.5 Basic Principles for Selecting Rubber Materials
Material selection for products requires comprehensive consideration：
1. Operating conditions： Temperature, medium (oil / acids / alkalis), friction and wear, force magnitude;
2. Processing technology： Compatibility of mixing, pressing, extrusion, and vulcanization processing;
3. Cost, aging resistance, and long-term service life.
