DuPont™ Kevlar® Engineered Elastomer is a dispersion of a highly branched p-aramid pulp available in a family of rubber matrices. It is based upon a proprietary technology that opens the structure of the highly branched pulp and allows it to be uniformly dispersed into our customers’ rubber formulations enabling efficient reinforcement.
How is Kevlar® Engineered Elastomer Used?
Kevlar® Engineered Elastomer reinforces differently than conventional fillers such as carbon black and silica by increasing stiffness (modulus) with no or little change in hysteresis that can lead to heat buildup (tan delta). Field use performance in a range of applications has demonstrated improvements in abrasion resistance, tear strength, rubber green strength, modulus and cut & chip resistance.
Tires operate in challenging environments. They must provide traction, wear and handling while simultaneously providing reduced rolling resistance for improved fuel economy. Kevlar® Engineered Elastomer is used to stiffen tire components critical to cornering and handling. Its ability to reinforce rubber compounds yet maintain low hysteretic losses provides manufacturers with a route to lower rolling resistance.
Kevlar® Engineered Elastomer has been providing improved performance in power transmission (PT) belts for over 15 years. Benefits in PT belts include lower hysteresis, abrasion resistance, cut and chip resistance (tooth shear) leading to longer life. The belt manufacturer also can take advantage of improved green strength and lower cost of manufacturer due to ease of dispersion. Kevlar® Engineered Elastomer can provide improved tear resistance and reduced crack growth propagation in applications such as conveyor belts.
Kevlar® Engineered Elastomer is used in a wide range of products and enables improvements in properties such as:
- increased modulus in tension, compression, and/or shear
- abrasion resistance
- tear and tear growth resistance
- puncture resistance
- increased green strength
- while having little to no effect on compound hysteresis
Kevlar® Engineered Elastomer is used successfully in:
- seals and gaskets
- bicycle tires
- diaphragms
- vibration mounts and isolators
- roll coverings
- military applications
- rubber coated fabrics
