000			02206nam a2200217Ia 4500
008			220216s9999 xx 000 0 und d
100			_aSum Ng Chiew
245		0	_aModularising thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and its applications to a wet process masterbatch plant
260			_bJounal of Rubber Research _c2013
300			_a215-226
520			_aThermogravimetric analysis(TGA) is indispensable in analysing the composition of rubber compounds. In the TGA test, a rubber compound is fractionated into four fractions comprising liquid or low melting point solid, polymers, carbon black and mineral fillers. Small sample weight can reult in large errors for rubber compounds that are not fully dispersed. Test equipement is expensive and therefore it is not a suitable choice for large numbers of production samples. Density measurements of rubber compound is a viable alternative for a quick test. Both thesse tests were initially applied to a production line of wet process masterbatch plant and shortcomings of these two methods were enumerated. An alternative testing scheme involving thermogravimetric and solvent extraction has been devised and tested successfully. Samples of the same compound with different weights were tested via Soxhlet solvent extraction, nitrogen pyrolysis nad oxygen pyrolysis. The results were combined mathemetically and basic equations were derived. Test variability was low and comparable to conventional TGA using microbalance. Results were correlated with elatest density measurements, although the 1:1 unity line correlation was not possible. Assumptions were made on the full incorporation of low melting point solids, as well as densities of various components and these could explain the discrepancies observed. Modularisation ot TGA test allows for improvements in the component test method. A large number of tests were carried out in a continuous production line turning out carbon black masterbatches.
650			_aASTM D6370
650			_aCompositional analysis
650			_aElatest
650			_aModularised TGA
650			_aNatural rubber
650			_aRubber compound
650			_aTGA
650			_aWet process masterbatch
942			_cJS
999			_c63140 _d63140