Role of Antioxidants in Rubber - Know The Importance With Key Points

 Antioxidants are chemicals in rubber that protect the rubber particles from being attacked by oxygen. Antioxidants present in the rubber help delay its ageing. The polymer compounds present in the rubber stop ageing when antioxidants are added to the rubber material. Hence, industries prefer using rubbers with high antioxidant concentrations. Antioxidant manufacturers in India have a range of antioxidants injected into the rubber to make it industry-specific. 

What are the types of antioxidants present in rubber?

Physical antioxidant 

White wax is a physical antioxidant used in rubber to protect the ozone layer. The injection of physical antioxidants helps prevent the rubber's ageing and makes the rubber compounds weather-resistant. 

Chemical antioxidant 

The major chemical antioxidants used for rubber processing include amine and quinoline. These chemical antioxidants generally help increase the rubber's lifespan and also make the rubber flexible. 

What are the benefits of rubber antioxidants?

Antioxidant manufacturers in India have access to many antioxidants that are used in rubber for different industrial applications. However, if the antioxidants are present in large amounts, they are unsafe for the human body and cannot be used in rubber. Antioxidants change the properties of the rubber. There are many benefits of using antioxidants in rubber. 

Antioxidants that are being used in rubber act as lubricants for the rubber. The lubricants contain high amounts of shear agents, which helps reduce the rubber's friction rate. The shear agents and the lubricants work together to keep flexibility within the rubber. Moreover, the shear agents can easily reduce the friction in the rubber, which is a good property, especially when the rubber is being used for industrial purposes. 

In simple terms, antioxidants are the anti-ageing mechanisms present in rubber. When the right amount of antioxidants is present in the rubber, you can expect the rubber to remain intact without any problems of discolouration, bending, or crack development. 

The major purpose of antioxidants in rubber is to absorb UV rays as well. It is an anti-fatigue, anti-cracking and anti-thermal oxygen ageing agent. The use of antioxidants is essential to extend the life of industrial rubber. It increases the lifespan of the rubber and keeps it going in the long run.