DKT: Arlanxeo spotlights high-molecular EPDM grades

Nuremberg, Germany – Arlanxeo will present a recently introduced Keltan EPDM grade and outline its development of very high molecular weight versions of EPDM rubber at DKT.

Since the introduction of Keltan 13561C DE, a semi-crystalline EPDM grade with a very high Mooney viscosity for demanding rubber applications in 2017, Arlanxeo has further developed this grade.

“This first Keltan grade with five digits is ideally suited for automotive seals and waste water seal compounds. In addition, with the new Keltan grade we extended our application areas into coolant hoses and micro-dense profiles,” said Niels van der Aar, business development manager EPDM/NBR at Arlanxeo.

This high-molecular Keltan grade is manufactured at the company’s EPDM plant in Changzhou, China, using Keltan ACE polymerisation technology.

In addition to Keltan 13561C DE, Arlanxeo is also introducing its recent findings of the study into the use of EPDM and natural rubber (NR) blends in order to meet rising temperature requirements.

“Having identified a need in the mechanical engineering and automotive industries for rubber that can withstand high operating temperatures for long periods, we developed a compound with exceptionally high molecular weight, which gives synthetic rubber its extremely high NR-type strength and resilience,” said van der Aar.

The material, ultra-high-molecular Keltan 9565Q, is said to delivers a performance that is superior to natural rubber in terms of heat aging and benefits highly dynamic applications.

“This Keltan grade opens up new potential for more economical EPDM processing compared with NR,” said van der Aar.

For components subject to high stresses such as damping elements, natural rubber is considered to be almost indispensable. However, vulcanized natural rubber will form cracks and become brittle in the medium term when exposed to heat.

Arlanxeo said its scientists have been able to improve synthesis to further increase the molecular weight of EPDM.

When compounds based on Keltan 9565Q are modified, fatigue life can be strongly improved to attain the same level as a heat stabilised NR compound, according to the materials maker.

During DKT 2018, Arlanxeo will host keynote presentations:

New Compounding Concepts based on Ultra-high Molecular Weight EPDM by Martin van Duin (Sp), Gosé van Zandvoort and Montse Alvarez Grima.

This presentation will be given on Monday July 2, at 16.00 hrs in Room “Paris”

Morphology and Micromechanics of Nano-dispersed Rubber Blends by John Beelen (Sp), Christoph Gögelein, Martin van Duin and Niels van der Aar.

This presentation will be given on Wednesday July 3, at 09.00 hrs in Room “Paris”