Title: ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF CALCINED KAOLIN USE IN THE PRODUCTION OF SPECIALIZED RUBBER TECHNICAL PRODUCTS
Author: Oleksandr Lobach
Abstract:

The paper analyses the economic feasibility of integrating calcined kaolin into the production of specialised rubber technical products under conditions of price pressure, import dependence, and supply-chain restructuring. Relevance stems from the need to replace high-margin imported fillers with functionally adequate mineral alternatives that preserve product performance in demanding applications. The novelty of the study lies in combining a documented commercialisation case of a calcined kaolin grade introduced into a medical rubber-products manufacturer with recent scholarly evidence on kaolin-filled elastomer systems, clay modification, and calcination control. The aim is to determine under which technological and market conditions calcined kaolin becomes a rational material choice for specialised rubber compounds. The study applies comparative analysis, source synthesis, process interpretation, and analytical generalisation. The materials include recent journal papers on kaolin in styrene-butadiene and natural rubber systems, clay-modified binders, calcined kaolin reactivity, and adjacent speciality polymer applications. The results show that economic feasibility emerges from the combination of controlled filler functionality, lower procurement cost, acceptable processability, and application-specific rather than universal reinforcement targets

Keywords: calcined kaolin, rubber compounds, specialised rubber products, mineral fillers
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38193/IJRCMS.2026.8220
PDF Download
Date of Publication: 27-03-2026
Download Publication Certificate: PDF
Published Vol & Issue: Volume 8 Issue 2 March-April 2026