How to Calculate Percentage of Ash Content in Rubbers?

Calculating the percentage of ash content in rubbers is a vital procedure conducted in rubber industry to evaluate the quality of rubber material. Prior initiating the final production the quality analysis is a must thing for any manufacturer.

Do you know properties of rubber varies with the temperature?

To assess the quality of the materials, it is very important to understand the properties. Temperature plays an important role in deciding the properties of rubber. A rubber becomes stiff in cold weather and becomes flexible in hot weather. And, if we talk about the properties of rubber, ash is an important factor. It is deliberately added to it during manufacturing. A certain amount of ash is required to make it fit for the application. On the other hand, excessive ash may lead to volatile behavior of the rubber. A manufacturer who is procuring rubber as raw material knows what percentage does he wants in his sample. But he cannot blindly trust the supplier. Thus, rubber is burnt down into fumes to check the residual ash content, that remains left over after the heat treatment. This all is done in a controlled environment using Muffle Furnace. 

What is Muffle Furnace?

It is more like an oven made up of brick and has temperature range up to 1400°C. The temperature range varies from model to model. Presto offers 3 models of muffle furnace that has a range of 900°C, 1100°C, 1400°C. The ideal working range is defined as the 300°C +. Below this range, the operator might see uneven test results. The machine comes with all the protection features. It has double insulation to avoid any heat loss. It creates a perfect and isolated environment for burning of the sample without any external interference.  

Get details on muffle furnace specifications, and choose a suitable model as per your industry, talk to our experts.

Why Presto’s Muffle Furnace?

This machine is made as per the international testing standards issued by relative authorities. We have utilized the experience and expertise of our engineers to make this machine suitable for different industries. The parts used in manufacturing are high-quality parts and helps in reducing the maintenance cost of the machine. We guarantee high shelf life at competitive prices. 

Standard Operating Procedure

1. Connect the single-phase power supply to muffle furnace.

2. By Pressing the start button provided on the Digital Temperature Controller and simultaneously moving the screws on the Right marked ‘SET’ clockwise (to increase) or anti-clockwise (to decrease) set the required temperature.

3. Let the temperature rise to the SET temperature and stabilize for a few minutes.

4. Heat the crucible at specific temperature says 800oC, to remove moisture for 20 – 25 min, after that keep crucible in a cool place at room temperature.

5. Weigh the empty crucible on the weighing balance. And take the weight of your test sample. {Both weights (crucible & test sample) measured separately}

6. Now weigh the test sample and crucible together.

7. Place the crucible along with the sample in the muffle furnace. And set the desired temperature in a muffle as per your sample specification for a specified time. After the ashing of the content is complete, leave the crucible to cool down to room temperature. Reweigh the crucible with ash on the weighing balance to take the weight.

Have any query regarding muffle furnace or wish to purchase one, kindly click here to reach our experts.