Why do rubber products become moldy?

Rubber is a widely used material with applications in many fields such as automotive, electronics, 

medicine, and construction. However, rubber products are prone to mold, which not only affects their service life

 but may also pose a threat to people's health. Therefore, we need to understand the causes and solutions of rubber mold.

The main causes of rubber mold are as follows:

1. Rubber products are rich in nutrients, such as protein, plant fiber, and fat, which can attract mold growth.

2. The surface of rubber products usually has many tiny pores, which can become places for mold to grow.

3. Some chemicals are added during the processing of rubber products, and these substances may affect the growth of mold.

4. Changes in ambient humidity and temperature can also affect the growth of mold.

To solve the problem of rubber mold, we can take the following methods:

1). Use antifungal agents: Add antifungal agents to the raw materials of rubber products, 

which can effectively prevent the growth of mold. However, this method may affect the performance 

and service life of the rubber product.

2). Surface coating: Apply a layer of anti-mildew coating on the surface of rubber products,

 which can effectively prevent the growth of mold. However, this method may affect the appearance and feel of the rubber product.

3). Regular cleaning: Regular cleaning of the surface of rubber products can remove dirt and mold on the surface, 

thereby preventing the growth of mold. However, this method needs to be done regularly and requires the use of professional cleaners.

In short, rubber mold is a common problem that requires sufficient attention. By understanding the causes and solutions to rubber mold,

 we can effectively extend the service life of rubber products and protect people's health.

   1. Raw rubber

        Generally speaking, most synthetic rubber raw rubber itself is not prone to mold, and even if it does grow mold, 

it is very slight. However, because natural rubber contains trace amounts of plant protein, carbohydrates, etc., 

which are nutrients for mold growth, natural rubber is more susceptible to mold.

2. Compounding agent

   Additives in rubber, especially plasticizers, such as oleic acid, ointment, paraffin and other organic compounds, 

and certain fillers such as clay, often become nutrients for mold growth, allowing microorganisms to parasitize 

and reproduce. For example, the various rubbers we use, such as natural rubber, nitrile rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, 

butyl rubber, etc., often use stearic acid as the vulcanization activator, and stearic acid can also easily cause the growth 

and reproduction of mold.

  3. Environmental factors

    The weather in the south is hot and humid, which is particularly suitable for the growth and reproduction of mold. 

At the same time, some organic matter adhering to the surface of rubber products may also cause mold growth.

  4. Anti-mildew grade assessment

       Referring to the standard GB 1 7 4 1 - 9 1 "Determination of paint film resistance to mold", the determined mildew rating standards are divided into 5 levels.

 Among them, grade O means no mold; grade 1 means mold spots are about 1 mm and sparsely distributed; grade 2 means mold spots are about 2 mm or spread and grow within 2 mm, and the maximum distribution of mold spots does not exceed the entire surface. A quarter; Level 3 means that the mold spots are about 2 mm or the maximum distribution accounts for about one-half of the entire surface; Level 4 means that most of the mold spots are more than 5 mm or the entire surface is covered with hyphae. Since rubber and paint film are both polymer materials, the anti-mildew rating of rubber products can be determined by referring to the above standards.

Rubber mold is caused by mold erosion of rubber products. The following are the causes and solutions of rubber mold 12:

Raw rubber: Most synthetic rubber raw rubber itself is not prone to mold, but natural rubber contains trace amounts of plant protein, 

carbohydrates, etc., which are nutrients for mold growth, so natural rubber is more susceptible to mold.

Compounding agents: Additives in rubber, especially plasticizers, are commonly used organic compounds such as oleic acid, ointment, 

paraffin, and certain fillers such as clay, which often become nutrients for mold growth, allowing microorganisms to parasitize and reproduce.

Environmental factors: The weather in the south is hot and humid, which is particularly suitable for the growth and reproduction of mold.

 At the same time, some organic matter adhering to the surface of rubber products may also cause mold growth.

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