Method and related arrangement for devulcanization of vulcanized rubber

摘要

A method for devulcanization of rubber feedstock and a related arrangement are provided. The method includes doping rubber feedstock with a photoactive substance (104, 110), configured to activate upon exposure thereof to external radiation of a predetermined wavelength; and further exposing cured rubber feedstock to the external radiation of the predetermined wavelength. Radiation exposure results, upon photoactive substance activation, in initiation of selective scission of intermolecular crosslinks, such as sulfur crosslinks, in the vulcanized rubber elastomers. The photoactive substance may be configured to initiate an excitation emission response and/or chemical reaction. The photoactive substance is preferably selected from semiconducting nanocrystals, such as quantum dots. An arrangement for carrying out the method is presented.

主权项

1. A method for devulcanization of rubber feedstock, comprising:
obtaining a vulcanized rubber feedstock provided with at least one predetermined photoactive substance, the substance comprising a scintillator or a luminescent substance configured to emit, in response to external radiation of a predetermined first wavelength, radiation of a second wavelength selected so as to initiate selective scission of intermolecular crosslinks in vulcanized rubber elastomers within an effective range thereof; and exposing the vulcanized rubber feedstock provided with said at least one photoactive substance to external, rubber-penetrating radiation of said first wavelength, said photoactive substance configured to emit, in response to said external radiation of first wavelength, radiation of a second wavelength selected so as to initiate a response reaction of selective scission of the intermolecular crosslinks in the vulcanized rubber elastomers, wherein the external radiation comprises or consists of x-rays.