Anti ozone waxes

Okerin ®, Akcera ® and Protektor ® are our technical rubber wax additives. Anti-ozone waxes offer protection against ozone attack and any type of weather influences.

Unprotected elastomers will absorb ozone forming ozonides by the attack of double bonds on the surface layer. Under tension the absorption becomes continuous. Surface cracks are formed and when the strain exceeds a critical value cracks grow continuously at a constant rate. The rate of crack growth is proportional to the ozone concentration.

The formulated hydrocarbon wax functions by migrating to the surface of the rubber and:

forms a thin, inert film which acts as a barrier to the ozone gas. The film is thin, non-crystalline and reasonably flexible;
transports the chemical agents (anti-ozonants) from the inside of the rubber to the surface;
prevents the water soluble rubber chemicals in predominantly stressed articles to wash out.

Temperature is one of the critical factors determining the wax performance. The combination of temperature and the exact composition of the wax will effect the overall effectiveness of the wax in providing ozone protection.

Further waxes are used as processing aid and mould release material in a lot of elastomeric compounds. For fluoro-elastomeric compounds special products as processing aids or mould release agents are available.