Srilathakutty, R; Dr.George, K E(Cochin University of Science And Technology, August 19, 1998)
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Abstract:
The most important part of any footwear is the sole (or sole and heel) which withstands
all the hannful external factors such as rouglmess of the ground or road, sharp objects, thorns
and stones, heat, dampness and cold during walking. The properties desirable in soling
material, therefore, would be
1. lightness
2. resistance to wear and tear for long service life
3. flexibility/softness for wearing comfort
4. thennal insulation
Rubber soling surpasses all other soling materials in better performance and lower
cost. Because MC sole is soft and very light, and has good abrasion resistance, flex properties
and set behaviour it has become very popular all over the world and demand for better quality
product is ever increasing. Due to the traditional approach adopted by the footwear industry
in foot wear design, the rubber based footwear export surprisingly contributes only a small
percentage. The essence of success for any industry lies in the expansion of the export market.
Microcellular soles are manufactured for the last three decades without much change in the
traditional design and colour pattern. In recent years domestic customers have also started
demanding better quality products. In view of the changing taste of the customer and growing
competition from other countries, substantial improvement in the export potential will require
new base materials for regular or fashion rubber based footwears. The main objective of the
present study is to develop new base materials for making MC soles with good quality, viz.,
light weight, durability and bright colours
Description:
Department of Polymer Science
and Rubber Technology
Cochin University of
Science and Technology