Rubber Science

This book is an up-to-date text on rubber science and is a breakthrough among many rubber-related publications. Emphasis is placed on the most modern scientific approaches to rubber science, departing from the usual detailed descriptions of trial-and-error results of traditional rubber technology.

Readers will get helpful ideas and in-depth knowledge about various aspects of rubber to rubber adhesion with particular reference to theory and practice.
This book covers various aspects of rubber to rubber adhesion which is important theoretically, as well as having practical implications. Rubber is a polymer whose glass transition temperature is well below the room temperature and hence the chains are very mobile at room and higher temperatures, making the material very versatile. Rubber is used in a large number of applications ranging from underground mining to tire to space vehicles. In all these cases, compounded rubbers are used in laminates and joined. The higher the adhesion, the higher will be the joint strength. The principles taught in adhesion science and technology are extensively used to prepare better joints and more useful products.

In the case of an ideal rubber, one often thinks of the linear dependence of the shear modulus on temperature as an expression of the typical entropy elasticity. However, temperature dependencies of typical technical rubber materials are known to be much more complicated. This has consequences for the practical behaviour of rubber-elastic components. One well-known instance of this is the dramatic Challenger disaster. The rubber used to seal the solid rocket booster joints with O-rings did not expand at temperatures of 0 °C or below, resulting in an opening in the solid rocket booster joint through which gas attempted to escape.

In the case of an ideal rubber, one often thinks of the linear dependence of the shear modulus on temperature as an expression of the typical entropy elasticity. However, temperature dependencies of typical technical rubber materials are known to be much more complicated. This has consequences for the practical behaviour of rubber-elastic components. One well-known instance of this is the dramatic Challenger disaster. The rubber used to seal the solid rocket booster joints with O-rings did not expand at temperatures of 0 °C or below, resulting in an opening in the solid rocket booster joint through which gas attempted to escape.

In the second edition of this book, the origin, upkeep and latex harvest from the Hevea rubber tree are dealt with succinctly. New chapters have been included on Propagation Systems and Genetic Resources. The importance of Heterozygosis and Breeding is a new theme for the section on Breeding.