Development of railroad track bed-ties form recycled tires

传统的铁路枕木总是存在寿命问题，而且很少有可重复使用或回收利用的选择。因此，具有更长的使用寿命和更好的性能的替代产品对铁路运营商来说变得越来越重要。另一方面，越来越多的废弃轮胎需要特殊的储存或填埋，这也带来了环境问题。利用废弃层制成的橡胶基铁路枕木比传统的木制铁路枕木具有更好的使用性能和更长的使用寿命。这种能使用轮胎的铁路枕木在满足替代铁路枕木的要求和提供废旧轮胎的增值利用方面具有很大的潜力。在本项目中，回收的橡胶碎片将作为铁路枕木的主要成分，并与合适的添加剂和增容剂配合使用。有计划的优化研究将能够改善机械和其他所需的特性。使用本文所述材料制成的样品将具有其自身的硬度、强度、耐久性、钉紧性和用作铁路领带所需的其他性能。在多伦多大学CBBP进行最初的复合/配方后，原型铁路领带将通过行业合作伙伴温莎橡胶公司提供的高压成型机开发。

The conventional railroad ties always have lifetime problems and there are few options available for reusing or recycling. Alternative products with longer lifetime and better properties are therefore becoming increasingly important by railroad operators. On the other hand, the increasing amount of discarded tires, which needs special storage or landfill, also poses environmental issues. The rubber based railroad ties from the discard tiers are anticipated to have better application properties and longer lifetime than the conventional wooden railroad ties. Such tire-enabled railroad ties would have a great potential to meet the requirement of alternative railroad ties and provide value-added utilization of scrap tires. In this proposed project, the recycled rubber fragments will be employed for the major content of railroad ties along with suitable additives and compatibiliser agents. Planned optimization studies will enable to improve the mechanical and other required characteristics. The samples made by using materials described herein will be characterized for its own hardness, strength, durability, nail-gripping and other properties required by using as railroad ties. After initial compounding/formulation carried out at CBBP, U of Toronto, the prototype railroad ties will be developed through high pressure molding machine available at industry partner, Windsor Rubber.