Reclaiming of elastomeric materials

Abstract

A process for reclaiming elastomeric material from elemental sulphur-cured elastomeric material having a vulcanized network without using hexamethylene tetramine, by treating the sulphur-cured elastomeric material having a vulcanized network with one or more rubber delinking accelerators selected from the group of zinc salts of thiocarbamates and zinc salts of dialkyl dithiophosphates, 2-mercaptobenzothiazole or derivatives thereof, thiurams, guanidines, 4,4'-dithiomorpholine and sulphenamides, and a zinc oxide activator in an amount sufficient to act as an activator for the accelerator(s) to delink the elastomeric material at a temperature below 70.degree. C., whereby the vulcanized network is opened up or delinked to provide a curable reclaimed elastomeric material capable of being vulcanized without adding rubber vulcanizing chemicals. The invention also includes compositions capable of delinking the vulcanized network of sulphur-cured elastomeric materials including the accelerators and activator described above. The obtained recycled, or reclaimed, elastomeric material has desired physical and dynamic characteristics that render it suitable for use in molded goods or for admixture with fresh compounds in tires and related products.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.