US compounder Prism claims sustainable rubber advsnces

Kirkland, Washington – US sustainable rubber compounder Prism Worldwide has announced a series of new developments in the field of sustainable elastomer materials.

In a 19 June statement, the company said it had made advances in odour-reduction, sustainable thermoplastic vulcanisates (TPVs), and devulcanised EPDM.

The developments, it added, address challenges that have long been considered barriers to the wider adoption of recycled materials in consumer and industrial products.

Prism said it used its ‘proprietary odour-reduction process’ to reduce the “strong and lingering odours” from recycled end-of-life tires (ELTs).

The technology is claimed to “significantly reduce” the odour, making the recycled rubber more suitable for uses in vehicles, homes, and consumer products.

Prism has also developed a patent pending TPV formulation which uses revulcanised ELT rubber to create a “sustainable, high-performance thermoplastic elastomer.”

The technology allows the TPV’s rubber portion to be derived from ELTs.

Furthermore, Prism said a new devulcanised EPDM delivers strong performance at high recycled content levels: offering cost savings compared with virgin materials without sacrificing quality.

EPDM rubber is traditionally used in automotive weatherstripping and gaskets, roofing, and industrial applications.

However, the rubber is difficult to recycle because it is crosslinked.

Prism said its patent-pending devulcanisation process makes it possible to reuse EPDM  “at high content levels while delivering on key physical performance properties.”