The Nanotechnology Department has contributed with its development of new advanced raw materials to an efficiency improvement of the manufacturing process of rubber vulcanization.
The company Natural World Eco has relied on the CTCR to improve its vulcanization process. The results have been great, the productivity has nearly been duplicated, maintaining the same working and temperature conditions. The raw rubber with nanoparticles can now be cured in nearly half of the time, and is then attached to the upper with heat and pressure following the conventional method. Through the introduction of nanoparticles, the vulcanization process time has been decreased up to a 40%, without losing the mechanical properties. This improvement has also lead to a reduction in energy consumption and emissions, improving the output.
The project was co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and carried out by the Department of Nanotechnology of the CTCR and its two PhD’s in Chemistry and one PhD students of chemistry engineering.
