Abstract
Abstract Petroleum plasticisers are applied as softening additives in rubber vulcanisation processes and as components of rubber mixtures in the production and vulcanisation process. They contain polycyclic aromatic compounds exhibiting carcinogenic and mutagenic effects. Since 2010, the European Union has banned the use of high-aromatic DAE plasticisers. The petroleum industry and tyre manufacturers are developing new types of petroleum plasticisers. The best alternative to the DAE is the TDAE plasticisers, obtained mainly by selective solvent refining. The solvent dewaxing process of classic TDAE plasticisers was studied in order to improve the chemical composition as well as the rheological and low-temperature properties of deparafinate. This article presents the results of an examination of the TDAE plasticiser samples subjected to solvent dewaxing process on a laboratory scale with three types of solvents, MEK–TOL, MEK–MIBK and MEK–MTBE. It was demonstrated that solvent dewaxing of the TDAE plasticiser with positive pour points maintains good process selectivity and allows for a significant reduction of the plasticiser pour point, thus improving the rheological and low-temperature properties. In all dewaxing attempts, the pour point in the deparaffinate decreased significantly to the range −12 to −22°C, compared to the positive pour points of the raw materials. The application tests for two types of the TDAE plasticisers, used to produce oiled rubber and a standard rubber compound, meet the quality requirements for those products.
Highlights
Petroleum plasticisers are applied as softening additives in rubber vulcanisation processes and as components of rubber mixtures in the production and vulcanisation process
The basic process parameters for four dewaxing operations of the TDAE I raw material were as follows: the mass ratio of MEK–TOL was in the range from 40:60 to 70:30, the crystallisation temperature was −20 or −28°C, and the total solvent to fraction ratio was from 5.0:1 to 11:1
Compared to the TDAE I raw material, as a result of the dewaxing process in the TDAE deparaffinate, an increase in the carbon content in aromatic structures in deparafinate was observed for all tests, which ranged from 0.69 to 1.43%; the content of carbon atoms in naphthenic structures decreased to 3.59–4.78%; and the content of carbon atoms in paraffin structures increased from 2.61 to 3.64%
Summary
Abstract: Petroleum plasticisers are applied as softening additives in rubber vulcanisation processes and as components of rubber mixtures in the production and vulcanisation process. One of the petroleum plasticiser classifications is based mainly on the methods of production It distinguishes the following types of plasticisers [10,11]: DAE (distillate aromatic extract) – an aromatic extract obtained from a petroleum vacuum distillate. It has been in use by tyre manufacturers for a long time because of the low cost and high compatibility with SBR rubber [12,13,14,15,16]. The above-mentioned impact of petroleum plasticisers on the performance characteristics of rubber products at low temperatures and an attempt to improve the structural composition of hydrocarbons was an inspiration to study the dewaxing process of the classic TDAE plasticiser. Rubber products at low temperatures, and in case of a positive effect of the dewaxing process, a decrease in the pour point of those plasticisers can be expected and their performance at low temperatures can be improved
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