EP conveyor belts are industrial conveyor belts made with Ethylene Propylene Rubber (EPR, commonly abbreviated as EP rubber) as the cover rubber and canvas (e.g., nylon canvas, polyester canvas) or steel cords as the carcass material. They are widely used for material conveying in fields such as mining, chemical engineering, building materials, and ports. Their performance characteristics are determined by the molecular structure of EPR (a saturated carbon chain with no double bonds), and their advantages and disadvantages should be analyzed in conjunction with actual working conditions (e.g., temperature, medium, material properties).
Five Advantages
1、Excellent weather resistance and anti-aging property: Its saturated molecular structure resists ozone, ultraviolet rays, and wind-rain erosion, making it ideal for outdoor use, with a service life 30%-50% longer than ordinary natural rubber (NR) conveyor belts.
2、Good resistance to chemical media corrosion: It tolerates non-strong oxidizing acids, alkalis, salt solutions, and general mineral/animal-vegetable oils, but is not resistant to strong oxidants and aromatic solvents.
3、Good elasticity and impact resistance: With a moderate elastic modulus, it absorbs impact from falling materials, and is less prone to carcass fracture or cover rubber damage compared to rigid PVC conveyor belts.
4、Low water absorption and moisture resistance: Its water absorption rate is usually <0.5%, preventing mildew/rot of the carcass layer (e.g., canvas) in humid environments.
5、Outstanding ozone aging resistance: It can withstand ozone environments (e.g., near arc welding workshops) for a long time without ozone cracking, unlike ordinary rubber.
Five Disadvantages
1、Limited high-temperature resistance: Its long-term service temperature upper limit is about 120°C (short-term <1 hour for 150°C), and it fails at temperatures above 120°C.
2、Relatively poor wear resistance: Its abrasion loss is 1.2-1.5 times that of NR; though modified formulas (with carbon black, silica) can improve wear resistance by 30%-40%, it increases costs.
3、Significant elasticity decline at low temperatures: Near -40°C, it hardens and loses elasticity, leading to cover rubber cracking and carcass fatigue fracture when bent.
4、Special treatment needed for carcass adhesion: Its adhesion to canvas/steel cords is lower than NR; without special adhesives or surface modification, cover rubber and carcass are prone to peeling, shortening service life by 20%-30%.
5、Higher cost than ordinary rubber conveyor belts: Its price is about 10% higher than ordinary NR/SBR conveyor belts, with poor cost-effectiveness for general working conditions (e.g., indoor grain conveying).
In summary, EP conveyor belts are an excellent choice for working conditions requiring "environmental resistance and chemical resistance", but they need to avoid high-temperature, high-abrasion, and extremely cold scenarios. If adaptation to special working conditions is required, their shortcomings can be compensated for through modified formulas (e.g., high wear resistance, low-temperature resistance), but a balance between cost and performance must be considered.
