What is Aromatic Rubber Processing Oil?
Aromatic Rubber Processing Oil is using as the solvent extraction agent in the experiments. furfural extract well known as furancarboxaldehyde, fural, furfuraldehyde, pyromucic aldehyde , chemically, furfural extract participates in the same kinds of reactions as other aldehydes and other aromatic compounds.
The aromatic stability of RPO is not as great as in benzene, and RPO participates in hydrogenation and other addition reactions more readily than many other aromatics.
When heated more than 250 °c, furfural decomposes into furan and carbon monoxide, sometimes explosively. when heated in the presence of acids, furfural irreversibly solidifies into a hard thermosetting resin.
Usage of RPO
Aromatic Rubber process oil (RPO) is used as a solvent in petrochemical refining to extract dienes (which are used to make synthetic rubber) from other hydrocarbons.
furfural, as well as its derivative furfural alcohol, can be used either by themselves or in together with phenol, acetone, or urea to make solid resins. Such resins are used in making fiberglass, some aircraft components, and automotive brakes.
Furfural is also used as a chemical intermediate in the production of the solvents furan and tetrahydrofuran.
What are the different grades of RPO?
RPO different types have two general grades:
Heavy and Light. The RPO grading is based on its viscosity. RPO with the viscosity of 20 to 30 are considered as light (low viscosity) grade.
RPO with a viscosity of 30 to 50 are titled as heavy (high viscosity) grade.
How is RPO made?
The RPO is produced by using extraction of lube oil fraction with a solvent having a selective affinity for aromatics. The extraction conditions are determined so that the extraction yield is regulated to a predetermined requirement defined by the PCAs content of the lube oil fraction.
Properties of RPO
| SPECIFICATION | Test Method | RPO250 |
| Density @ 15°C kg/m3 | ASTM D-1298 | 990-1020 |
| Flash point (COC) °C | ASTM D-92 | 245 |
| Kinematic Viscosity@100 °C (cSt) | ASTM D-445 | 50-80 |
| VGC | ASTM D-2501 | 0.96 |
A: Aromatic RPO is a class of processing oil rich in aromatic hydrocarbons, used in rubber compounding to improve filler dispersion, compound flow and final product flexibility. It typically features a kinematic viscosity of around 20–60 cSt at 100 °C and enhanced solvency.
A: The grades are often described by their viscosity—“light” grades for lower viscosity (e.g., ~20–35 cSt at 100 °C) and “heavy” grades for higher viscosity (e.g., ~40–60 cSt at 100 °C). Selection depends on rubber compound requirements.
A: These oils are widely used in manufacturing tires, conveyor belts, hoses, molded rubber goods, footwear soles, cable sheathing, and any product where high filler content and strong polymer interaction are required.