Frost formation on seals made of rubber during storage can result in their disintegration.
Frosting on sealing strips may occur for various reasons:
1. Over-compounding occurs when more additives than allowed are added to a rubber matrix; solubility issues or frosting could arise as a result. Misunderstandings between formula designers may contribute to overcompounding as well.
2. Under-sulfurization refers to dispersing sulfur before rubber vulcanization has reached positive vulcanization.
3. After products have been in use for some time they begin to age due to exposure to light. At this stage, any particles added during vulcanization that had become attached become detached from their matrix and released as separate entities into the environment.
4. Uneven Force: Damage occurs as a result of uneven force applied, leading particles to be expelled through cracks in damaged items and create further havoc.
Cooling caused by drastic drops in external environment temperature reduces solubility within rubber compounds dramatically, often leading to frosting when stored during winter storage. This phenomenon often manifests itself when rubber products are stored indoors for storage purposes.
