Smithers Laboratories Testing Confirms Two Distinctly Different Products for Tire and Rubber Compounding.
A recent study by Smithers Laboratories concluded that French Process (FP) zinc oxide outperforms both American Process (AP) zinc oxide as well as commercial blends on a variety of key metrics.
These findings, which resulted from testing three compounds (neoprene, tire wire coat, and new rolling resistance tire silica treads) have critical implications for a broad spectrum of ZnO applications.
Overview of Key Findings
• AP performed 10% worse than FP on the Goodrich Flexometer Blowout times.
• Cure time with FP was ~33% better than AP for MDR cure at 177 °C, therefore FP ZnO is better for cycle time and production efficiency (energy, labor, conversion).
• DMA testing tan delta (-10 °C, 0 °C, 30 °C) showed 5-6% better results for FP vs. AP (tire wire coating)
• Low Viscous modulus shows improved cross-linking using FP vs. AP (strain test)
• Testing performed on newer higher silica, low rolling resistance formulae produced similar results as above
• FP outperforms AP and Blend, particularly on tire wire coat compound and newer silica tread compound (for low rolling resistance).
This is important information that you need to know. Due to the purity, performance and safety standards of our customers, Zochem produces French Process zinc oxide, exclusively. We do not blend or use American Process ZnO.
Here’s a link to the complete whitepaper.