Yokohama Rubber develops ‘nano-scale’ image processing technology for rubber materials

Hiratsuka, Japan – Yokohama Rubber Co. (YRC) has developed a new image processing technology that can clearly visualise the nanoscale structure inside rubber mataerials.

Developed in collaboration with University of Tsukuba and Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), the new method is applied to conventional electron microscope images to clear them from “noise and unclear contours”.

Through using the method, the study has clearly captured the mesh-like molecular network structure of rubber and further quantified the factors related to the internal structure, YRC reported 20 Nov.

YRC said the processes constructs an internal structure model based on knowledge of rubber materials and combines it with ‘Hessian matrix’ analysis technique to achieve the high-quality image of the rubber structure.

Hessian matrix, YRC explained, is a method used in sensitivity analysis of multivariate functions.

In image processing, structural features such as spheres and rods can be captured by calculating the change in brightness compared to surrounding pixels.

In addition, YRC said that the new method calculates ‘network region’ automatically, eliminating the manual process which could be arbitrary.

This enables simultaneous analysing of multiple samples and performing statistical data processing.

According to YRC, the processed images have helped the tire maker obtain accurate parameters related to the physical properties of rubber, validated through physical experiments.

These included the connection points of the network in the rubber structure, the area of the network, and the length of the network.

YRC expects the new image processing method to help it develop high-performance rubber materials that are safe and economical and contribute to sustainability.