How to Protect Rubber Products Against UV Degradation

Manufacturer:  We observe that our products deteriorate and discolour when exposed to both diffused sun light and fluorescent light. Any chance of overcoming or minimizing this problem? Our customers insist that the products must be packed in transparent plastic films.


John Woon (Senior Latex Consultant): Rubber products (natural or synthetic) tend to undergo a deterioration and degradation process when exposed to weathering and sunlight. The deterioration rate is increased in the presence of UV light.

There are a few things you can do. If possible, make the products black or if they have to be white, increase the level of TiO2 as the pigment would adsorb the UV light. Adding a blend of UV absorbers  to cover the high and low UV light frequencies would definitely help.

However it could be expensive if your products are thick as most of the UV absorber is "trapped" in the interior of the rubber matrix instead of the rubber surfaces where the absorption of UV light takes place.

Another cost effective but innovative method  is to select transparent plastic packaging material which has already been incorporated with UV absorbers. One good example of UV absorber is Benzophenone.

It allows manufacturers to package their products in clear and transparent plastic. Without it, opaque (with TiO2) or dark (with carbon black) packaging materials would be required.