In consideration of the influence of the curing reaction on the material properties of elastomers, it is very important to control the vulcanization process properly.
As shown previously [1], the effects of the vulcanization reaction of an elastomer can be monitored by use of ultrasonic sound waves. This technique has to a certain degree a high similarity to the standard curemeter test according to ISO 6502 but can be applied also inside a production tool.
So far, the method was only applied to the vulcanization of one compound at a given temperature and sample thickness. This is now complemented with measurements on another compound system at different temperatures and sample thicknesses.
The expected effects of temperature and thickness on the curing behaviour were found by use of the ultrasound online control.
Monitoring the vulcanization of elastomers: Comparison of curemeter and ultrasonic online control
(2009)
The vulcanization of elastomeric materials has a high impact on the properties of the final product. Therefore, it is important to monitor and control this crosslinking process. A common technique to attain the necessary curing time is the use of a curemeter in accordance with ISO 6502 in order to determine the time for full cure of a sample with a standardized geometry. Based on this result and a lot of practical experience, the required curing time for a given product geometry is estimated. Within the scope of this work, a new analysis technique will be compared with the standard procedure. The ultrasonic online control employs ultrasound waves to measure the changes in material properties caused by vulcanization. For this study, a natural rubber compound with a conventional curing system was investigated by both techniques. It was found that the results of the ultrasonic technique show good agreement with the results of the curemeter.
Ultrasound on-line NDT methods have been demonstrated as a useful tool for monitoring the curing reaction of thermosets. In order to achieve this ultrasound sensors are incorporated into compression, injection and RTM (resin transfer) mould. For many commercial products imprints or any surface markings upon the moulded product are undesirable. Due to its physical properties ultrasound has a large advantage over other techniques for similar applications. The sound wave can pass through the wall of the mould and direct contact with the moulded part is not required. In this particular case one fundamental problem is a good coupling of the sensors to the mould wall. Several mediums came into question but because of the high technical (e. g. temperature and long time stability) and practical demands, it was decided that dry (non-fluid) coupling would be the most promising candidate. A handful of coupling foils suitable also at high temperatures and for long time application under industrial conditions were tested and are presented in this paper.
The prospects of modern thermoanalytical methods for characterisation
of flow, curing and final mechanical behaviour of
moulding compounds were demonstrated. Using urea resin
moulding compounds from different manufacturers the possibilities
of the various techniques could be shown. With comparatively
low effort, fundamental information can be gained
before production process had been started. On this basis it is
possible to make appropriate material selection at an early
point in the process chain. On the basis of thermoanalytical
data an incoming goods inspection can be established. Also it
is easy to control the compliance with the conditions of delivery.
In some cases it could also be helpful to have stored analysis
data especially when problems appear in manufacturing
process or unexpected part damages occur
With the ultrasound measuring system it is possible to transfer
the findings from the analytical methods directly to the processes
in the mould. The application of ultrasound provides
Dynamic Mechanical Analysis in the mould. Beside quality
assurance ultrasound can also be used for process optimisation,
especially for reduction of cycle time. In an advanced form
ultrasound information can be used as a basis for improved
machine control based on material state. The ultrasound measuring
system developed by ISK Iserlohn and BAM can be
obtained from the ISK.
EVA is a widely used material for the encapsulation of photovoltaic modules. It melts at elevated temperatures, and seals the module before it is crosslinked at temperatures above 130 °C by a peroxide-initiated crosslinking reaction. EVA has good optical properties necessary for application in solar modules. For process optimization and quality management, a method for the quick and reliable characterization of EVA crosslinking behaviour is of great value. Here, the practicability of ultrasound for online crosslinking monitoring is demonstrated. A sound velocity increase of about 8 m/s during the crosslinking reaction is found. The ultrasound results are compared with rheometer measurements performed with a curemeter typically used for the investigation of rubber crosslinking.