Micronized Rubber Powder (MRP) is classified as dry, powdered elastomeric compound in which a significant proportion of particles are less than 100 microns. It is used as a compound extender to offset the spiraling prices of natural rubber and synthetic polymers. It improved the sustainability and in some case the performance of the compounds in which it is used. MRP is typically made from cured elastomer feedstock, typically chips from end-of-life tires, via a cryogenic process at a temperature below the Tg of the polymer. A better understanding of MRP surface properties is needed to facilitate efforts to utilize the material as a high value, sustainable material for use in various industrial and consumer rubber products. An update on MRP characterization is presented, including surface morphology by SEM, surface chemistry by XPS, surface area by Kr BET, and particle size distribution by laser diffraction. An example is given that demonstrates how the surface chemistry can be used to explain the effect of MRP on cure and physical properties in rubber compounds.
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