Abstract
The effects of cork powder loadings on selected physicomechanical, thermal and ablative properties of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) based thermal insulations were studied in comparison to asbestos filled EPDM thermal insulation. Ethylene propylene diene monomer was compounded with other ingredients, such as fillers, process aid and curing package, and characterised for required properties. It was observed that increasing cork loading up to 33 parts per hundred parts of rubber caused an increase in hardness and tensile strength. Elongation at break, however, decreased with increasing cork percentage in the formulations. Thermal and ablation properties of the thermal insulations were studied by ballistic evaluation motors and oxyacetylene torch. Cork filled vulcanisates had more ablation and better insulative properties than asbestos filled vulcanisates. About 39% reduction in density of the thermal insulation was possible using cork filled insulation instead of asbestos filled insulations.
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