Vulcanized rubber sample

[FeFe]

Hi Jorgen. I need to cut some 10mmx10mmx4mm samples from a lump of vulcanized rubber to do some frictional tests. The dimension has to be as accurate as 0.5mm. What method do you recommend to cut the sample? I am thinking of using a hot wire cutter, but this would change the surface property. The long term Young's modulus of the rubber is around 9MPa so you can have a rough idea how hard the rubber is! Many thanks!

[Jorgen]

There are many different ways to cut rubber. Here are a few examples:
:arrow: Water jet cutter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_jet_cutter)
:arrow: Freeze the rubber with liquid nitrogen and then cut
:arrow: Low speed diamond saw
:arrow: hot wire cutter

Perhaps someone else has more suggestions?

- Jorgen

[FeFe]

Thanks, Jorgen. I'll try diamond saw and hot wire cutter first!

[sq]

Avoid the hot wire cutting saw, unless the degree of cross-linking doesn't matter to you.

A diamond wire saw can do the job without excessive heat, and done properly, leaves a very smooth surface.

[Serchu]

Hi, I actually work at a rubber part facility (six years at laboratory, now as a designer), and I can advice you to use the easy way: very sharp blade (something like a cutter) and water as a lubricant. Mark and cut several samples and you will find the right dimension very quickly.

If you have just a little of material to extract the sample you could use a sandpaper machine (well, I don't know if its the wright word, english is not my natural languaje) to form the sample (don't apply to muhc pressure on the sample again the sandpaper because you could produce the reversion of the sample).

Bye

[infinite]

Hello,

It is maybe very late to give an answer to this question, but I propose :
It depends of the material and of its thickness. In my case, I work with a few mm sample and I can cut it with cisors or with a cutter blade.

But if somebody has an other suggestion, it could interest me.

Thank you.