Rubber blocks flooring for elder: Effect of pre-vulcanization inhibitor on rubber block flooring properties

Abstract

This research aimed to study the preparation of Para rubber block flooring for elder. The block flooring composed of two parts such that  (i) concrete and (ii) rubber layer. For rubber layer part, the preparation of rubber layer was divided into two sections; (i) the top cover surface based on ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM) and (ii) shockproof layer based on natural rubber (NR). The results from the elderly satisfaction surveys on hardness and thickness of rubber layer showed that the most suitable hardness and thickness were 50 Shore A and 10 mm, respectively. The cure time (T_c90) of top cover surface layer based on EPDM compound was 7.30 min, while T_c90 of NR compound was 4.4 min. The significant difference in T_c90 of NR and EPDM compounds was not suitable for forming to block flooring. Therefore, shockproof layer based on NR was studied by varying pre-vulcanization inhibitor (PVI) contents. An increase in PVI content leaded to an increase in T_c90 of NR compound which closed to the T_c90 of EPDM compound. Finally, the rubber block flooring consisted of concrete layer and rubber layer was designed by physical adhesion between rubber layer and concrete.