The outcome of this project was development of a new and safer accelerator for use within production of polychloroprene and other rubber products. The new accelerator is produced and sold by Robinson Brothers Ltd. under the trade name Robac SRM102.

Many accelerators used in the rubber industry are under the spotlight due to their toxic nature. One such accelerator, ethylene thiourea (ETU) is used in polychloroprene manufacture and current alternatives fail to deliver technical performance. Robinson Brothers won this award for their amazing invention of a new safe and effective accelerator, using an innovative approach which focused on a fundamental understanding of how ETU worked.

With detailed study this potential replacement molecules were identified. To evaluate toxicology, QSAR modelling was employed, a technique never before used in the rubber industry. Trials proved the new material to be as good as ETU or better.

Norner contributed in the project as REACH expert and laboratory testing of SRM 102 according to REACH requirements.

The SafeRubber project received EC funding under the FP7 framework

Norner contact person: Principal Researcher Svein Jamtvedt