This course will start in 2A and will continue in 2B. 18 lectures are spread over both quartiles.
Additionally, one week of lab work in small groups is included. To give sufficient time to deal individually with this lab work, this course is spread over 2 quartiles.
Aim of the course: The student will understand the composition and process for the design and production of rubber products. The student will understand the behavior of different rubber compositions in different environments. These skills will enable the student to create new and more sustainable rubber products for different applications to meet future requirements.
Learning objectives to reach the aim of the course:
- Can describe the whole manufacturing process of rubber
- Can define different requirements for different rubber applications
- Know and can explain the function of different rubber ingredients inside a compound
- Can name and explain different in-rubber properties and how to test them
- Can differentiate different elastomers and can select the best suitable elastomer for a specific application
- Know the difference between carbon black and silica-filled rubber compounds and the required changes in the production process
- Can explain the unique viscoelastic behavior of rubber
- Can describe rubber reinforcement with regard to filler-filler, filler-polymer and polymer-polymer interactions
- Know why and how to crosslink different rubber compounds
- Can explain the main tire properties, how to test them and the possibility to improve them
- Know possibilities to face the increasing request for more sustainable rubber products
- Can explain and judge different recycling possibilities for rubber products
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Elastomer represents a sub-group of the wider field of polymers. It covers about 15% of the total polymer turnover. Polymer-technology originated from rubber-technology, but rubbers have kept their own identity because of their unique combination of resilience and form stability after extremely large deformations, commonly designated as "rubber-elasticity". Elastomeric articles are designed to perform a certain function, wherein the rubber-elastic properties are the key factor: e.g. a car-tire translates all car-drivers interventions into the car-road contact: accelerating, breaking, cornering, etc. In this functional performance, the design of the article, the composition of the elastomeric material - commonly prepared for this purpose and called "compounding" - and the manufacturing technique all come together and jointly determine the end-result. In this course, the structural characteristics and properties of elastomers and reinforcing fillers are covered, the effect of filler dispersion, as well as their translation into product performance for a certain design. Besides, the basic principles of compounding, processing and vulcanization are covered, all illustrated with representative examples of rubber applications. The course includes a project for the design of a material for a given application, including the definition of the requirements and border conditions, and designing the materials in terms of compounding, vulcanization as well as characterization of specific properties.
Part of the course is an additional assignment for upgrading the course to a Post-Master level. The PDEng trainee must discuss the content of this additional assignment together with the contact person of the course. Afterwards, the trainee needs a covering letter (see PDEng study guide) stating that he/she has rounded the course at post-master level. This form must be signed by both the contact person of the course and the PDEng programme director, and a scan must be uploaded in Hora Finita
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