What is vulcanization?

Vulcanization is the combination of various ingredients with the rubber under controlled heat to create a flexible elastomer.

Rubber that is not vulcanized is usually hard under low temperature and very soft at high temperature. Un-vulcanized rubber is also "tacky", and when stretched, deforms very easily. Un-vulcanized rubber shows "plasticity" as opposed to "elasticity".

Vulcanization corrects these defects while greatly increasing the tensile strength of the rubber.

Disclaimer

This FAQ article is offered as a guideline and offers possible solutions to problems encountered during mold making and casting. No warranty is implied and it is up to the end user to determine suitability for any specific application. Always refer to the provided Technical Bulletins (TB) & Safety Data Sheets (SDS) before using any material. A small scale test is suggested to determine suitability of any recommendation before trying on a larger scale for any application.