High Performance Rubber Components Using Recycled Rubber and Methods of Making and Using Same

Abstract

A footwear outsole created partially from a preferred recycled rubber consisting of a rubber powder of a high surface to area to volume ratio. The recycled rubber is created via a fully mechanical process and devulcanized without the use of chemicals. When mixed and re-vulcanized into new rubber, the surface area to volume ratio of the recycled rubber particles produce a rubber that mixes well with virgin rubber and results in a compound with excellent physical parameters. The recycled rubber powder has rubber particles that are preferably of a size between 250 and 1000 micrometers. Consumer products such as footwear outsoles, produced using the preferred recycled rubber mixed with virgin rubber display excellent physical properties for the intended use of footwear outsoles.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.