CROSS-LINKING OF NATURAL RUBBER

• Published in: Pomorstvo (Rijeka : 1999) Vol. 25; no. 2; pp. 461 - 468
• Main Author: Bonato, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Croatian
• Published: 08.11.2011
• Subjects: Crosslinking; Elastomers; Marine; Maritime; Molecular dynamics; Molecular structure; Nanostructure; Natural rubber; Protection systems
• ISSN: 1332-0718

Demands imposed on floating objects have necessarily resulted in applying polymer as construction material, as well as in protection systems in shipbuilding and maritime affairs. Natural rubber is known as a very important industrial material gained from (Hevea Brasiliensis). It is a polymeric material and by chemical structure it is mostly cis 1.4-polyisoprene, belonging to the group of elastomers and due to its special characteristics it has a wide usage. Familiarity with its structure (especially nanostructure of the gel phase) and with its molecular dynamics is very important in defining mechanical and application characteristics. Natural rubber, as well as synthetic elastomers, must be submitted to the process of cross-linking which causes transversal linking of chain molecules. This process results in desired usage characteristics of the material. The material prepared in this way shows appropriate elasticity, tensile strength, viscosity and resistance to wearing.Original Abstract: Zahtjevi koji se postavljaju pred plovece objekte nuzno su doveli do primjene polimera kao konstrukcijskog materijala i kao suvremenog sustava zastite u brodogradnji i pomorstvu. Prirodni kaucuk je poznat kao vazan industrijski materijal koji se dobiva od drveta kaucukovca (Hevea brasiliensis). To je polimerni materijal, po kemijskom sastavu uglavnom cis 1,4-poliizopren, koji se ubraja u skupinu elastomera i zbog svojih specificnih svojstava ima vrlo siroku primjenu. Poznavanje njegove strukture (posebno nanostrukture gel faze) i molekulske dinamike vrloje vazno u odredivanju mehanickih i primjenskih svojstava. Prirodni se kaucuk, kao i sintetski elastomeri, mora podvrgnuti procesu umrezavanja pri cemu dolazi do poprecnog povezivanja lancastih molekula, a tim se postupkom dobivaju zeljena uporabna svojstva materijala. Tako pripravljen materijal odlikuje se odgovarajucom elasticnoscu, prekidnom cvrstocom, zilavoscu i otpornoscu na habanje.