[ Probable substitution du kaolin importé par une argile locale dans les formulations à base d’élastomères manufacturés aux ateliers plastiques de la Gécamines ]
Jean Luc Kashala Kapalola1
1 Commissariat Général à l’Energie Atomique, Ministère de la Recherche Scientifique-Lubumbashi, RD Congo
Original language: French
Copyright © 2025 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Gécamines, through its Central Panda Workshops with the acronym ACP, manufactures several items using natural and synthetic rubber. These materials are used to absorb shocks in structures such as tarpaulins, channels, pump volutes, and others, and to limit the abrasion of metallic materials that would occur due to pulp particles. Other properties linked to the application must be taken into account in the formulation of these materials, including breaking resistance, elongation, aging, and so on. Generally speaking, the composition of these rubber materials is made with a reinforcing clay filler such as kaolin imported from London. Since clay materials are abundant in our environment, we set out to study the impact of replacing this kaolin with a local clay mechanically transformed into fine powders (KALUBWE clay) on the modification of the mechanical properties required for these rubber articles. We note from our experiments conducted according to a Gécamines workshop formula named P 760 based on natural rubber and acrylonitrile butadiene rubber that the substitution of imported kaolin by KALUBWE clay prepared according to our experimental conditions is possible with a reduction in its share in the rubber, since it tends to increase the mechanical properties of vulcanizates.
Author Keywords: Rubber, Natural, Kaolin, Clay, Local, Mechanical, Properties.
Jean Luc Kashala Kapalola1
1 Commissariat Général à l’Energie Atomique, Ministère de la Recherche Scientifique-Lubumbashi, RD Congo
Original language: French
Copyright © 2025 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Gécamines, through its Central Panda Workshops with the acronym ACP, manufactures several items using natural and synthetic rubber. These materials are used to absorb shocks in structures such as tarpaulins, channels, pump volutes, and others, and to limit the abrasion of metallic materials that would occur due to pulp particles. Other properties linked to the application must be taken into account in the formulation of these materials, including breaking resistance, elongation, aging, and so on. Generally speaking, the composition of these rubber materials is made with a reinforcing clay filler such as kaolin imported from London. Since clay materials are abundant in our environment, we set out to study the impact of replacing this kaolin with a local clay mechanically transformed into fine powders (KALUBWE clay) on the modification of the mechanical properties required for these rubber articles. We note from our experiments conducted according to a Gécamines workshop formula named P 760 based on natural rubber and acrylonitrile butadiene rubber that the substitution of imported kaolin by KALUBWE clay prepared according to our experimental conditions is possible with a reduction in its share in the rubber, since it tends to increase the mechanical properties of vulcanizates.
Author Keywords: Rubber, Natural, Kaolin, Clay, Local, Mechanical, Properties.
Abstract: (french)
La Gécamines à travers ses Ateliers Centraux de Panda en sigle ACP fabrique plusieurs articles en caoutchouc naturel et synthétique. Ces matériaux servent à l’amortissement des chocs dans les ouvrages tels que bâches, chenaux, volutes de pompes, etc. et à limiter l’abrasion des matériaux métalliques qui serait due aux particules des pulpes. D’autres propriétés liées à l’application doivent être prises en compte dans la formulation de ces matériaux (résistance à la rupture, allongement, vieillissement, etc.). D’une manière générale, la composition de ces matériaux en caoutchouc est confectionnée avec une charge renforçante argileuse qu’est le kaolin importé de Londres. Les matières argileuses ne manquant pas dans notre environnement, nous nous sommes proposé d’étudier l’impact de la substitution de ce kaolin par une argile locale transformée mécaniquement en fines poudres (argile de KALUBWE) sur la modification des propriétés mécaniques exigées pour ces articles en caoutchouc. Nous notons de nos expérimentations faites selon une formule atelier Gécamines nommée P 760 à base du caoutchouc naturel et du caoutchouc butadiène acrylonitrile que la substitution du kaolin importé par l’argile de KALUBWE préparée selon nos conditions expérimentales est possible avec diminution de ses parts dans le caoutchouc puisqu’il tend à augmenter les propriétés mécaniques des vulcanisats.
Author Keywords: Caoutchouc, Naturel, Kaolin, Argile, Locale, Propriétés, Mécaniques.
