Zinc oxide in tires
- Mingpai
- 2024-06-03 14:05:58
Zinc Oxide (ZnO) plays a pivotal role in tire manufacturing, with its applications encompassing several key aspects:
Curing Acceleration: In tire production, zinc oxide acts as a catalyst, enhancing the activity of curing accelerators. This promotes cross-linking between rubber molecules, expediting the vulcanization process, shortening curing times, and boosting production efficiency. By reducing the amount of accelerator required, it also aids in cost reduction.
Thermal Performance Enhancement: As an effective thermal conductor and heat capacity enhancer, zinc oxide outperforms carbon black in thermal conductivity, facilitating efficient heat dissipation under high-speed and heavy-load conditions. This reduction in heat accumulation protects the tire structure, prolonging tire life.
Antioxidant and Aging Resistance: During vulcanization, zinc oxide reacts with hydrogen sulfide produced, converting it to zinc sulfide. This process helps consume harmful hydrogen sulfide, minimizing its deteriorative effects on the rubber matrix, thereby enhancing the tire's antioxidant properties and resistance to aging.
Improved Physical Properties: Serving as a reinforcing agent for rubber, zinc oxide bolsters physical properties such as wear resistance, tear strength, and tensile strength, rendering tires more resilient and durable.
Stabilizer Function: It also acts as a stabilizer, preventing degradation of the tire rubber during storage and use due to exposure to UV light or microbial attack, ensuring consistent physical and mechanical performance.
Environmental Alternative: In some formulations, zinc oxide can substitute traditional heavy metal compounds like lead-based stabilizers, contributing to more environmentally friendly tire production.
In summary, zinc oxide is integral to tire production, not only enhancing product performance and manufacturing efficiency but also promoting environmental sustainability, positioning it as a crucial additive in rubber formulations for tires.
