Paper Mills: Heat and Humidity Resistance of Rubber Rollers.

Paper Mills: Heat and Humidity Resistance of Rubber Rollers

Problem Statement

Rubber rollers in paper mills degrade under continuous exposure to 180°C steam, high humidity (>90% RH), and acidic sizing chemicals. Common EPDM formulations fail due to compression set (>40%) and surface cracking after 6 months.

Material Science Analysis

Standard EPDM lacks sufficient crosslink density for steam resistance. RubberQ's HNBR compound uses 34% acrylonitrile content and peroxide curing to achieve:

• Thermal stability via saturated backbone structure
• Hydrolysis resistance from optimized filler-polymer bonding
• Acid resistance through fluorinated additives (0.5-1.2% fluorine)

Technical Specifications

• Shore A Hardness: 75 ±5
• Tensile Strength: 18 MPa (ASTM D412)
• Elongation at Break: 250%
• Temperature Range: -30°C to 200°C continuous
• Compression Set (22h @ 175°C): ≤15% (ASTM D395 Method B)

Parameter	HNBR (RubberQ)	Standard EPDM	FKM
Max Steam Resistance	200°C	150°C	230°C
Compression Set @175°C	15%	45%	10%
Acid Resistance (pH 2-5)	Excellent	Good	Poor
Cost Index	1.8x	1.0x	3.2x

Standard Compliance

RubberQ's IATF 16949 system ensures:

• Batch traceability of raw materials (ASTM D2000 AA-706)
• Adhesion strength >4.5 MPa (ASTM D429 Method B)
• ISO 3601 Class A cleanliness for metal-bonded components

For custom material compound development or IATF 16949 documentation, consult RubberQ's engineering department.