Industrial zinc oxide plays an essential role as an activator in the rubber industry. This unorganic substance maintains the durability and safety of various rubber products. An activator itself is a chemical that helps the rubber material in car tires become durable through the vulcanization process. Activators are helpful for speeding up the performance of the accelerator.
The faster the accelerator, the faster the vulcanized rubber will be formed. Also, activators also function to boost the mechanical properties of rubber so that its tensile strength increases, and the rubber becomes more tear-resistant and wear-resistant.
Classifying Activators Based on the Kinds
There are several types of activators that are commonly used in the rubber industry. Here they are.
Zinc Oxide (ZnO)
The first and the most common activator used in the rubber industrial zinc oxide. This type of activator is able to make the bonds between rubber molecules stronger, especially those related to car tires. Zinc oxide is a chemical substance consisting of zinc and oxygen. The chemical composition of zinc oxide is powerful to make car tires stronger and safer to use on the road.
Thanks to its ability to improve the reactivity of the accelerator and strengthen the cross-links between rubber molecules, zinc oxide becomes the main option for natural rubber and synthetic rubber. The function of zinc oxide is to help the performance of the accelerator to be quicker and more effective during the vulcanization process.
The faster and the more effective the accelerator’s performance, the more durable and the tougher the rubber manufactured.
Magnesium Oxide (MgO)
This activator is also one important type in the rubber vulcanization process. Just like zinc oxide, magnesium oxide also functions to make the accelerator works more effective and help improve the heat resistance of vulcanized rubber. To get the optimum result, magnesium oxide is usually used together with zinc oxide.
It’s because its forming materials are not much different, which consisting of magnesium and oxygen. Both magnesium and oxygen play an essential role in the chemical process of vulcanized rubber.
Stearic Acid
This kind of activator functions to help boost the dispersion of the accelerator in rubber. So, the mixing process becomes easier, and the results are better. The forming material of stearic acid is the fatty acid obtained from animal or plant fats, also known as octadecanoic acid. It’s then processed into stearic acid.
That’s the function of industrial zinc oxide as an activator in the rubber industry.