China Clay/Kaolin for Rubber Industry:
Kaolin is used in rubber industry as functional fillers. Kaolin get its importance due to its ability to impart stiffness and reinforce the rubber, thereby improving the tear resistance and tensile strength properties of rubber. Thus Kaolin is used in rubber manufacturing to improve rubber performance. Different types of beneficiated kaolin has different roles in rubber manufacturing. Hence beneficiation of China Clay is very important for converting the Run of Mine China Clay into Rubber Grade Kaolin. Water washed kaolin grade is valued for its brightness, whiteness and fine particle size. Kaolin when calcined, becomes more hard and when used in rubber give good reinforcement and maintain very good process ability. While the normal Kaolin has a Mohr’s Hardness of about 2.5, after calcinations the Mohr’s hardness ranges between 4 – 5. As the particle size of the Kaolin decreases, the reinforcement of rubber increases. Thus fine kaolin is better suited for rubber application than the coarse kaolin. Ultrafine China Clay offers rubber greater reinforcement, higher tensile strength and lower abrasion loss than coarser grade kaolin.
To be contd….
