Self-healing elastomer can be compounded

ERJ staff report (DS)

Paris -- Arkema, which is promoting a range of self-healing elastomer materials under the ReverLink name, said the materials can be reinforced with standard industry fillers.

The company is developing three grades of the materials, which can self-repair small cuts, tears and nicks. A damaged piece of the Reverlink material will flow back together, repairing a small cut or nick in the surface, or in the body of the material. The materials are not based on standard elastomer chemistry.

Arkema said, "All three grades must be considered as base rubber raw materials for which the properties may be modified by compounding." The company said it is working hard to determine how the materials can be compounded. It said, "at least two of the three grades can be reinforced like conventional rubbers using silica and carbon black."

The company said the materials are in the Shore A 30-50 range and offer good resistance to oils, and diesel fuel. Elongation at break is around 200 - 600 percent, while ultimate tensile strength is around 0.5 - 500 MPa.

The company added, "We are trying to find out how much the properties of these new rubbers may compare to conventional rubbers, and how much can they be formulated, and processed through conventional compounding, and processing techniques. Up to now, the results are good, but we also keep in mind that these materials are really new rubbers with specific properties.

Arkema is currently working with development partners on the curing and shaping of specific types of component.

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www.reverlink.com from Arkema