Anke Blume

Anke Blume studied chemistry at the University of Hanover in Germany, completin her PhD thesis at the German Institute for Rubber Technology (DIK). She worked in the applied technology department of Degussa (later Evonik) to develop new silica and silanes for use in rubber between 1996 and 2021. Since October 2013, she has been head of elastomer technology and engineering at the University of Twente, Netherlands. Blume was the first woman to receive the Melvin Mooney Distinguished Technology Award (in 2023).

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Presentation

'Re-thinking' sulfur curing, part 1

Since Charles Goodyear discovered the sulfur curing of NR in 1839, many studies have been carried out to understand its mechanism. Nowadays, the broadly accepted mechanism includes an activated accelerator Zn-complex which enables sulfur coupling to the polymer in the allylic position to the double bond. Modern passenger car tire treads no longer contain natural rubber but a blend of SSBR and BR, filled with a silica /silane system. Is it possible to transfer all NR-gained knowledge to such a modern passenger car tire tread formulation or is re-thinking sulfur curing required?