How do rubber and plastic products achieve insulation and heat preservation?

How do rubber and plastic products achieve insulation and heat preservation?

​​The Thermal Insulation and Energy-Saving Principles of rubber/Plastic Products​​

The thermal insulation and energy-saving effect of rubber/plastic products primarily relies on their material structure, heat transfer barrier mechanisms, and physical-chemical properties, achieved by suppressing heat conduction, convection, and radiation. The explanation proceeds from three aspects: technical principles, material properties, and application logic.

Core Mechanisms for Heat Transfer Barrier

1. ​​Suppressing Heat Conduction: The Intrinsic Nature of Low Thermal Conductivity.​​
   • ​​Chemical Composition & Molecular Structure:​​ Rubber/plastic materials (e.g., Nitrile Rubber (NBR), Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM), NBR/PVC blends) feature a three-dimensional network molecular structure with strong intermolecular forces, resulting in low efficiency of heat transfer via molecular motion. For example, NBR/PVC materials typically exhibit thermal conductivity below 0.03 W/(m·K), significantly lower than metals (e.g., steel ~50 W/(m·K)) and water (~0.6 W/(m·K)), effectively blocking heat transfer via molecular vibration.
   • ​​Use of Fillers & Foaming Technology:​​ Production often involves adding inorganic fillers or employing foaming processes to create a closed-cell structure. The air trapped within these closed cells (thermal conductivity ~0.023 W/(m·K)) is a poor heat conductor, further reducing the overall thermal conductivity.
2. ​​Application Sealing:​​ The flexibility and elasticity of rubber/plastic materials allow them to conform tightly to the surfaces of pipes and equipment, minimizing air convection within gaps.

Additional Insulation & Energy-Saving Advantages of Rubber/Plastic Products

• ​​Water/Moisture Resistance & Thermal Stability:​​ The closed-cell structure not only blocks air but also prevents moisture penetration (water absorption rate ≤0.3%). This is crucial as absorption significantly increases thermal conductivity (water's conductivity is over 20 times higher than air's). For instance, in humid environments, rubber/plastic insulation maintains long-term thermal performance.
• ​​Aging Resistance:​​ Rubber/plastic materials resist degradation factors like ozone and UV radiation, ensuring minimal structural breakdown or performance degradation over prolonged use.
• ​​Flexibility & Elimination of Thermal Bridges:​​ Their flexibility enables coverage of complex shapes (e.g., valves, elbows), avoiding thermal bridges common with rigid insulation due to joints or poor shape matching. Thermal bridges can increase heat loss by 20%-40%. E.g., wrapping pipe flanges with rubber/plastic insulation sleeves eliminates heat leakage through gaps.
• ​​Radiation Barrier:​​ Low emissivity surface treatments (emissivity <0.03) effectively inhibit radiative heat transfer, particularly critical for high-temperature insulation.

Typical Application Scenarios and Logic

• ​​Building HVAC:​​ Insulating piping reduces the loss of heated/cooled water during transport (e.g., insulating AC chilled water pipes can reduce cooling loss by 5%-10%) through low thermal conductivity and closed-cell structure.
• ​​Industrial Equipment Insulation:​​ Wrapping steam pipes, reactors, etc., prevents heat dissipation from equipment to surroundings, simultaneously improving safety by preventing personnel contact burns.
• ​​Cold Chain Logistics:​​ Used in cold storage walls and vehicle body insulation, rubber/plastic leverages its low thermal conductivity and sealing properties to minimize ambient heat ingress, reducing refrigeration energy consumption (energy savings of 15%-25% achievable).
• ​​New Energy Sector:​​ Insulating wind turbine cables and PV inverters utilizes the weather resistance of rubber/plastic to withstand outdoor environmental exposure, maintaining stable insulation performance and reducing equipment failures caused by temperature fluctuations.

Summary

The essence of thermal insulation and energy saving in rubber/plastic products lies in a multi-faceted approach combining "optimized material molecular structure + closed-cell physical barrier + surface radiation control." This comprehensively inhibits all modes of heat transfer. Their advantage extends beyond efficient insulation; properties like water resistance, weather resistance, and flexibility ensure long-term, stable energy savings, making them particularly suitable for applications demanding ease of installation and high environmental adaptability.