Services / Rubber Testing
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Microlab deploys the State-of-Art Rubber Testing Equipments
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Rubber is known for its toughness, elasticity, and durability. However, Rubber testing is essential across automotive, industrial, consumer, and construction applications. Rubber is used in products that require withstanding deformation and stay in its original form. Microlab gives you proper analysis and testing capabilities to prevent catastrophic failure within heavy-duty manufacturing applications.
Mechanical
Tensile, Elongation, and Modulus
Mechanical properties like tensile strength and elongation are essential to design requirements for choosing the type of rubber. The tensile test is carried out as per ASTM D412 and IS 3400-1
Accelerated Heat Ageing
Rubber materials are used across industries and subjected to different temperatures. In accelerated heat aging, we soak the material at a specific temperature, after which we again evaluate the mechanical properties.
The test method follows ASTM D 573 and IS 3400-4
Hardness
Shore Hardness (Durometer) testing is done at our facility as per ASTM D2240 and IS 3400-2
Abrasion
The rubbing away of material due to friction is a measure of abrasion. We perform Taber abrasion resistance as well as Rotary abrasion resistance. The test method follows IS-3400-3.
Tear Resistance
Tear strength is the resistance of the crack to propagate within the sample. We perform Tear strength as per the standard on Crescent and Angular Specimens as per IS 3400-12 and IS 3400-17.
Physical
Compression Set
The compression set is the amount of permanent deformation that occurs when the rubber is compressed to a specific deformation, specific time, and temperature.
The test method follows ASTM D395 and IS 3400-10
Specific Gravity
The density/specific gravity is tested as per ASTM D792 and IS 3400-9
Ash Content
The ash content is measured by subjecting the samples to a muffle furnace at a high temperature and weight loss is calculated to find the ash content.
Different types of rubber can be analyzed including those containing flame retardants.
The test method follows ASTM D5630 and IS 3400-22
Chemical Properties
Polymer Identification
The type of rubber can be identified using FTIR. The analysis can also be done to get an idea about the co-polymer present. Each rubber compound has a unique IR spectrum which can be used to determine the type of polymer
The test method follows ASTM D395 and IS 3400-10
Complete Polymer Profile
The complete history of the monomer and the filler content can be determined using different methods that include DSC and TGA. The amount of filler content, type, and crystallization data are obtained.
RoHS in rubber
Hazardous elements in rubber can be tested by a variety of test methods present at our facility
Different elements like Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Chromium, PBB, and PBDE can be evaluated using GC-MS, ED-XRF, and ICP-OES up to very small levels of concentrations.
Resistance to Oil and Fuel
Rubbers are used as gasket material and come in direct contact with fluids like oil and fuel. To prevent the deterioration of these with time, the resistance of the rubber has to be checked. The test method used at our facility is in line with ASTM D471 and IS 3400-6
Thermal Property
Thermo- Gravimetric Analysis (TGA)
TGA is useful to provide the profile of the rubber that is used, the fillers, and other constituents that make up the product. TGA is extremely useful when trying to diagnose the reason for a coating failure. Other applications include reverse engineering, complete polymer profile, and filler content concentration.
Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)
This technique is used to measure the entropy changes in the rubber as a response to the temperature. This is very helpful in finding the glass transition temperature of rubber (Tg) which will then determine if the rubber can be used in different environments. It is important to have the temperature at sub-zero temperatures as some rubber have their Tg values in this range. At Microlab, the temperature range is between -90oC to 450oC
Specific heat capacity of rubber can also be determined using the DSC method.
Thermal Conductivity
Thermal conductivity is an important property when trying to design materials as insulators and in heat exchanger applications. At Microlab we can also test the thermal conductivity at different temperatures (from -50°C to 2000°C), on liquids, powders, and solids. The application can be extended to Batteries, Fluids, Building Materials, Explosives, and Lighting. Our facility is equipped with 2 types of equipment: the steady-state measurement can give precise values while the MTPS (Modified Transient Plane Source) instrument can provide values within seconds.
The standard test method for analysis follows ASTM C518, ASTM D7984, and ISO 8301