43
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
T. J. Gutiérrez (ed.), Reactive and Functional Polymers Volume One,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-43403-8_4
Chapter 4
Reactive Processing and Functionalization
of Ground Tire Rubber
Łukasz Zedler, Marta Przybysz-Romatowska, Aleksander Hejna,
Xavier Colom, Javier Cañavate, Mohammad Reza Saeb,
and Krzysztof Formela
Abstract The dynamic development of the automotive industry resulted in a significant increase in rubber wastes, especially end-of-life tires, which are a serious
threat to the natural environment and human health. This situation has enforced the
industry and academic research groups to search new and cost-effective methods for
recycling waste tires. In this field of research, reactive processing and functionalization seem to be a very promising approach to extend recycling and the ‘up-cycling’
of ground tire rubber. This chapter presents recent progress in the modification of
waste rubber and valorization strategies with special attention on structure- properties
relationships of the products obtained.
Keywords Recycling · Rubber wastes · Structure-properties relationships
4.1 Introduction
Among the many types of industrial and agricultural wastes constantly generated,
waste tires management and recycling represents the most significant challenges
(Schnecko 1998; Stevenson et al. 2008). This fact results from the irreversible process of vulcanization, by which crosslinking bonds are formed. This makes rubbers
problematic wastes, since they are resistant to biodegradation and many external
Ł. Zedler · M. Przybysz-Romatowska · A. Hejna · K. Formela (*)
Department of Polymer Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology,
Gdansk, Poland
e-mail: krzysztof.formela@pg.gda.pl
X. Colom · J. Cañavate
Department of Chemical Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya Barcelona Tech,
Terrassa, Spain
M. R. Saeb
Department of Resin and Additives, Institute for Color Science and Technology, Teheran, Iran
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
T. J. Gutiérrez (ed.), Reactive and Functional Polymers Volume One,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-43403-8_4
Chapter 4
Reactive Processing and Functionalization
of Ground Tire Rubber
Łukasz Zedler, Marta Przybysz-Romatowska, Aleksander Hejna,
Xavier Colom, Javier Cañavate, Mohammad Reza Saeb,
and Krzysztof Formela
Abstract The dynamic development of the automotive industry resulted in a significant increase in rubber wastes, especially end-of-life tires, which are a serious
threat to the natural environment and human health. This situation has enforced the
industry and academic research groups to search new and cost-effective methods for
recycling waste tires. In this field of research, reactive processing and functionalization seem to be a very promising approach to extend recycling and the ‘up-cycling’
of ground tire rubber. This chapter presents recent progress in the modification of
waste rubber and valorization strategies with special attention on structure- properties
relationships of the products obtained.
Keywords Recycling · Rubber wastes · Structure-properties relationships
4.1 Introduction
Among the many types of industrial and agricultural wastes constantly generated,
waste tires management and recycling represents the most significant challenges
(Schnecko 1998; Stevenson et al. 2008). This fact results from the irreversible process of vulcanization, by which crosslinking bonds are formed. This makes rubbers
problematic wastes, since they are resistant to biodegradation and many external
Ł. Zedler · M. Przybysz-Romatowska · A. Hejna · K. Formela (*)
Department of Polymer Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology,
Gdansk, Poland
e-mail: krzysztof.formela@pg.gda.pl
X. Colom · J. Cañavate
Department of Chemical Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya Barcelona Tech,
Terrassa, Spain
M. R. Saeb
Department of Resin and Additives, Institute for Color Science and Technology, Teheran, Iran