How it all started
The process of vulcanization, invented by Charles Goodyear in 1839, made rubber more stable by cross-linking sulfur bonds. Despite extensive research, vulcanization has historically been a non-reversible process with the result that it has not been possible to re-use vulcanized rubber in the production of new rubber products. De-vulcanization is the reverse of the vulcanization process. The process takes about 8 minutes.
The crumb is the product of breaking down waste rubber, in a crumbing plant, into small particles of about 30 mesh size. The process is performed using standard rubber processing machines such as high shear mills, refiners and internal mixers.
The resulting material is further treated, to stabilize certain reactive properties, to yield Green Rubber, which closely retains the properties of the original virgin rubber compound. For instance, a steel belted radial tire typically contains different natural rubbers, several synthetic rubbers, carbon black, polyester and nylon fiber, steel cords and about 40 chemicals. The process of crumbing strips out the steel and removes fiber. DeLink works effectively with both natural and synthetic rubbers.
Green Rubber Global finishes the job by making de-vulcanization possible and making the rubber truly recyclable.