In modern manufacturing, the race for efficiency is relentless. For producers of rubber extruded products, the shift from traditional autoclave methods to microwave curing has been a game-changer. It’s faster, saves labor, and cuts costs. But as with any major leap forward, it introduces a new, subtle challenge—one that can compromise the final quality of your product.
At I.R. Tubes, we believe that efficiency should never come at the cost of excellence. Our Managing Director, Raju Jethmalani, recently broke down a common problem in the industry and, more importantly, its an elegant solution.
You can watch his full explanation here:
The Core Problem: Porosity and the Flawed Fix
When you use a microwave system to cure rubber profiles, you run the risk of porosity caused by moisture which forms due to microwave curing. This means tiny holes or voids can form within the rubber, making the final product weaker, less reliable for sealing, and aesthetically imperfect.
The standard industry fix? Add Calcium Oxide (CaO) which acts as a desiccant in the rubber compound.
Calcium Oxide does a great job of preventing porosity. Problem solved, right? Not quite. While it eliminates the holes, it introduces a new, more serious issue: it worsens the compression set of the rubber profile.
What is a Compression Set?
Imagine squeezing a rubber seal. A good quality seal will spring back to its original shape almost perfectly. Compression set is a measure of how much it fails to bounce back. A poor compression set means the rubber permanently deforms under pressure. For a gasket, bead, or seal, this is a critical failure—it can lead to leaks and a complete loss of function over time.
So, manufacturers were caught in a dilemma:
- Option A: Use microwave curing and risk porosity.
- Option B: Add Calcium Oxide to stop porosity but end up with a product that has a poor compression set and will likely fail in the field.
Neither option is acceptable for high-quality applications.
The Breakthrough Solution: Achieving the Best of Both Worlds with Deostab
This is where true material science innovation comes in. The solution isn’t to abandon Calcium Oxide, but to neutralize its negative side effect.
This is achieved by using a specialized vulcanization stabilizer called Deostab.
Think of Deostab as a “corrector.” It works in tandem with the Calcium Oxide, allowing it to do its job of preventing porosity while completely neutralizing the harmful destabilizing effect it has on the compression set.
The result is a manufacturing process that is both fast and flawless.
The Winning Formula for Perfect Rubber Profiles
By integrating a stabilizer like Deostab into the compound, we unlock the ideal manufacturing scenario:
- Fast & Efficient Production: You get all the time and cost-saving benefits of modern microwave curing.
- Zero Porosity: Calcium Oxide ensures a solid, perfectly formed profile free of internal voids.
- Excellent Performance: Deostab ensures the rubber maintains a low compression set, guaranteeing its resilience, durability, and sealing capability for the long haul.
This is how we create high-quality rubber extruded products that meet the most demanding specifications. It’s not about finding a workaround; it’s about finding the right chemical synergy to build a product with no compromises.
The Bottom Line
The next time you’re sourcing rubber components; the conversation shouldn’t just be about the material type. The sophistication of the manufacturing process—down to the specific stabilizers used in the compound—is what separates a standard part from a high-performance, reliable one.
By understanding and solving challenges like the porosity vs. compression set dilemma, we ensure our clients receive products that are not only made efficiently but are built to last.
Have a project with demanding material specifications? Contact the experts at I.R. Tubes to see how our commitment to material science can work for you.
Raju Jethmalani
IRTubes Pvt. Ltd., Pune