Qingdao HKUST Builds "Urban Rubber Forest"

A few days ago, the scientific research team of Qingdao University of Science and Technology signed a cooperation project with Beijing Zhongjiao Rubber and Rubber Resources Recycling Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Zhongjiao Co., Ltd.”) for a total of up to 31.8 million yuan. This project is based on low-carbon economy, energy conservation and environmental protection, and researches and develops new processes for the production of recycled rubber to realize the concept of a new type of “urban rubber forest”.

Under the guidance of Professor Ji Kuijiang, a famous rubber engineering expert from China, Qingdao University of Science and Technology established a rubber recycling application research and development center and established a research team of 29 people. The center and Zhongjiao Company have established a joint innovation base of production, education and research.

According to reports, at present, the production of reclaimed rubber in China is based on the dynamic removal method, which has many problems such as high energy consumption, heavy pollution, poor safety, low reclaimed rubber performance, backward production process, and inability to automatically control. Qingdao University of Science and Technology will complete the development of key technologies for the recycling of waste rubber resources and fully automated equipment (10,000-ton production line) within the prescribed time, and will carry out debugging application and demonstration and promotion in the model industrial park built by Zhongjiao Company.

China is the world’s largest consumer of rubber and the world’s largest rubber importer. More than 75% of natural rubber and more than 40% of synthetic rubber are imported.