Elastomeric Materials

The Department of Plastics Engineering provides instruction about and performs research on thermoplastic and thermoset elastomers.  Since thermoset elastomers, including thermoset rubber, require specialized equipment, the Department created a laboratory for thermoset elastomers.
The Thermoset Elastomers Laboratory in the Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center (ETIC), Rooms 125B-125D, was partially sponsored by Freudenberg-NOK, a supplier of automotive components. The capabilities were expanded by a generous equipment donations from the New England Plastics and Rubber Group (NERPG), Draka Cableteq, C.W. Brabender, and Alpha Technologies. The laboratory and other facilities contain equipment for mixing, forming, and characterization of thermoset elastomers.

Mixing Equipment

  • Internal mixer (C.W. Brabender Intelli-Torque Plasticorder) 
    • Three-plate mixing bowl 
    • Batch mixer used for processing and characterization of thermoplastic and thermoset systems 
  • Banbury mixer (Farrel)
    • Batch mixer for thermoset rubber; (located in Ball Hall, Room 116)
  • Two-roll mill (C.W. Brabender Prep-Mill)
    • For mixing and forming thermoset rubber into a sheet 
    • Two-roll-mill internal-mixer

Forming Equipment

Elastomeric forming equipment
  • Compression molding machine (Wabash) 
  • Extrusion line (C.W. Brabender ATR Plasticorder)
    • Single screw extruder
    • Sheet die with flex lip and filament (strand) die
    • Belt conveyor system 
    • This line can process fluoroelastomers; (located in ETIC, Room 125A)
  • Rubber injection molding machine (LWB Steinl) 
    • Two-stage strip-fed screw-plunger injection unit
    • 50-ton vertical clamping unit 
  • Liquid injection molding machine (Engel)
    • For liquid silicone rubber; (located in Ball Hall, Room 112)

Characterization Equipment

Elastometric equipment
  • Cure rheometer - rubber process analyzer (Alpha Technologies RPA 2000)
  • Instron universal testing machine with elastomer extensometer (located in ETIC, Room 114)
  • Instron ElectroPuls All-Electric Dynamic and Fatigue Test Systems (located in ETIC, Room 114)
  • Permeation tester having hydrogen generator with capacity of 100 cc/min
  • Flame ionization detector (SRI Instruments)