Factors Causing Rubber Conveyor Belt Aging

1. Oxygen: Oxygen in the rubber produces a free radical chain reaction with the rubber molecules, and the molecular chains are broken or moderately cross-linked, causing the change of the rubber function. Oxidation is one of the important causes of rubber aging.
2. Ozone: The chemical activity of ozone is much higher than that of oxygen, and it is more destructive. It also breaks the molecular chain, but the effect of ozone on rubber varies with whether the rubber is deformed or not.
3. Heat: Temperature can cause thermal cracking or thermal crosslinking of rubber. The basic function of heat is also activation. Increase the oxygen diffusion rate and activate the oxidation reaction, thereby accelerating the rubber oxidation reaction rate, which is a common aging phenomenon - thermal oxygen aging.
4. Light: The shorter the light wave, the greater the energy. Higher energy ultraviolet rays that damage rubber. In addition to directly causing the breakage and crosslinking of rubber molecular chains, ultraviolet rays can also generate free radicals due to the absorption of light energy, which initiates and accelerates the oxidation chain reaction process. The UV light acts as a heating agent.
5. Mechanical stress: Under the repeated action of mechanical stress and the continuous rubbing process of the conveyor belt with the idler roller, the rubber molecular chain will be broken to generate free radicals, which will trigger the oxidation chain reaction and form a mechanochemical process.
6. Moisture: The role of moisture has two aspects: rubber is easily damaged when it is exposed to rain in humid air or soaked in water. This is because the water-soluble substances and water-purifying groups in the rubber are extracted and dissolved by water. Causes such as hydrolysis or absorption, especially under the alternating action of water immersion and atmospheric exposure, will accelerate the destruction of rubber. However, under certain circumstances, moisture does not damage the rubber, and even has the effect of delaying aging.
7. Others: The factors affecting rubber include chemical media, variable price metal ions, high-energy radiation, electricity and biology.