• Question: what is the melting point for ruber

    Asked by tech499neb to Alberto G, Alexander DB, Bruno Silvester L, David B, Kirsty R, Martin M, Michael S, Sarah-Jane P, Sharron K, Sophie S on 2 Feb 2024.
    • Photo: Alexander De Bruin

      Alexander De Bruin answered on 2 Feb 2024:


      it depends on the rubber! Some rubbers, especially natural ones, will burn before they melt. Some man-made rubbers are designed to be able to be melted and formed into useful shapes

    • Photo: Sharron Kenny

      Sharron Kenny answered on 2 Feb 2024:


      natural rubber melts at 180 degrees

    • Photo: Sarah-Jane Potts

      Sarah-Jane Potts answered on 2 Feb 2024:


      As mentioned in the other answers, it really depends on what type of rubber it is? Many materials come under the group of rubbers like natural rubbers, silicone, neopre and butyl rubber. All of these have different properties which suit their different uses.

    • Photo: Martin McCoustra

      Martin McCoustra answered on 2 Feb 2024:


      The other answers are pretty much on the ball. The variation is melting point is very much related to the structure of the molecules making up the rubber and how much cross-linking exists between molecular chains that make up the material.

    • Photo: Michael Schubert

      Michael Schubert answered on 5 Feb 2024:


      As everyone has said, it depends on the type of rubber and how it has been treated (or what it’s mixed with). Nowadays, a lot of the rubber we use is vulcanized. That’s a type of process that uses heat (and usually other chemicals) to make rubber harder and less likely to melt, so that we can use it for things that need high heat – like making a hose for very hot liquids… or riding your bike on a very hot day!

    • Photo: Bruno Silvester Lopes

      Bruno Silvester Lopes answered on 5 Feb 2024:


      What rubber are you specifically asking about? We need to be specific about what we ask sometimes 🙂 different rubbers have different melting points

    • Photo: David Bremner

      David Bremner answered on 6 Feb 2024:


      Natural rubber melts somewhere around 180 degrees

    • Photo: Sophie Spinks

      Sophie Spinks answered on 6 Feb 2024:


      It depends on the type of rubber! Natural rubber has a boiling point of around 180 degrees celcius but silicone rubber can withstand temperatures above 200 degrees celcius. Time is important as the length of time a rubber is exposed to extreme temperatures, will affect its performance and lifespan

    • Photo: Alberto Granero

      Alberto Granero answered on 9 Feb 2024:


      It depends on the rubber and whether it is vulcanised or not, what the size of the polymer chains that make that rubber. Some would not melt “as such”, but can get softer.

    • Photo: Kirsty Ross

      Kirsty Ross answered on 19 Feb 2024:


      As lots of people have said so far, it depends if it is natural rubber straight from the tree, or if it has been treated/vulcanised to turn it into car tyres. I think car tyres burn before they melt. Not an experiment I’d recommend doing at home due to the toxic fumes!

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