Modern tires are high-tech composites of hundreds of different materials that include elastomers, plasticizers, additives, reinforcing agents such as metals and fibers. The specific challenge is to properly blend many materials to provide the desired safety, grip and durability. Typically, synthetic and natural rubbers are blended by extrusion during the manufacturing process. To ensure that the proportions of the rubbers meet specifications, an analytical method must be used One approach is to determine the characteristic compounds in the gas space above the extruded product, the concentrations of which accurately represent the blend ratio of the elastomer.
Background
Solution
V&F IMR (Ion Molecular Reaction) technology is capable of measuring the composition of the gas space formed by the recently extruded elastomers without requiring sample preparation. After determining the correlation between the concentration of marker compounds within the gas space and the ratio of elastomers in a mixture, the manufacturing process can be monitored with high accuracy. Variations in the product are quickly detected and the process can be adjusted if necessary. V&F mass spectrometers can be equipped with a variety of interfaces to ensure easy integration into existing process control.
Advantage
V&F mass spectrometers deliver real-time results by directly measuring the gas phase. Other technologies, such as instruments based on gas chromatography, take several minutes for a measurement and usually require time-consuming sample preparation. Quality control of elastomer blends is achieved immediately, and batch consistency is guaranteed. V&F technology can help achieve a high-quality product, ensuring customer satisfaction.
Reference clients (excerpt)
