Thermo-mechanical recycling of rubber: Relationship between material properties and specific mechanical energy.

The studied and optimized devulcanization process is known as “High Shear Mixing” (HSM) recycling process. In the process the rubber is sheared between two metallic cones with special geometries. One cone is static as the other one rotates simultaneously and applies pressure to the material. Among the different parameters that are controlled and/or measured during the process two are highlighted for their importance: the temperature of the rubber, and the specific mechanical energy consumed during the process. It is shown that the energy consumed by the rotor can be correlated to the degree of devulcanization of the rubber which is measured by means of physicochemical analyses. An optimal state of surface activation on the treated rubber is also described. A physical model of the rubber network evolution along the HSM treatment is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]