Rubber and plastic seals are important basic components of mechanical products, with high manufacturing accuracy requirements. With the rapid growth of China's automobile manufacturing and ownership, seal products require high-precision technology and equipment support in both structure and material. In recent years, some enterprises in the professional production of seals in China have adapted to market positioning, timely adjusted their industrial and product structures, and rapidly developed and expanded. While rapidly increasing output value, significant investment has also been made in production and testing experimental equipment.
Development Trends of Rubber Plastic Sealing Materials
The formulation and processing technology research of special rubber and plastic materials commonly used in rubber and plastic seals, such as nitrile, hydrogenated nitrile, fluororubber, acrylic rubber, and polytetrafluoroethylene, is still the focus of work to improve the material's applicability and utilization rate. The application of nanomaterials will enhance the mechanical properties and special functions of rubber and plastic materials. On April 1st of this year, the National Standardization Committee issued the first batch of four national standards for nanomaterials in China, one of which is the "nano zinc oxide" standard for rubber.
Replacing low performance oil resistant rubber with special engineering elastomers; Surface treatment of rubber bright surface; In recent years, some progress has been made in the modification of rubber and plastic materials and the application of liquid rubber materials through nanotechnology. Especially in recent times, the application of some new materials has greatly promoted the rubber plastic sealing technology.
Thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), which are relatively weak in the application of seals in China, have the physical properties of vulcanized rubber and the processing properties of thermoplastic resins. The forming process does not require vulcanization, so they are considered as the third generation rubber. The main varieties of TPO, TPV, and TPU have been widely used around the world: TPV has an average annual growth rate of 15% in automotive applications, and is generally a fully crosslinked compound of EPDN and PP. It combines high tensile strength, oil resistance, and heat resistance, and can withstand 150 ℃ hot oil working conditions for a long time. It can be used as a substitute for EPDM to produce automotive seals and other products; Currently, TPO is mainly composed of EPDM and polyethylene components, with production processes including mechanical blending and dynamic vulcanization. In TPO produced by dynamic vulcanization method. The rubber composition is as high as 60-70%, with high wear resistance, ozone resistance, tear strength, and small compression deformation. Its comprehensive performance is better than that of EPDM vulcanized rubber.
The United States, Western Europe, and Asia are all continuing to build TPO production facilities; TPU combines the excellent processing performance of plastic with the physical properties of rubber. Its wear resistance, low temperature resistance, and radiation resistance are excellent, and it has made great progress in applications in industries such as automobiles, aerospace, medical and health, daily necessities, and military supplies. TPU can be widely used in automotive shock absorbers, bushings, bushings, airbags, and other components.
