Rubber will have a connectivity system, allowing data extraction in real time

Feevale University got resources from the Studies and Projects Financier (Finep) to carry out the Rubber Conect project - Development of rubber seals 4.0. Through research, carried out within the scope of the Postgraduate Program in Materials Technology and Industrial Processes, an innovative graphene elastomer technology will be developed to be used as industrial sealing rings. The objective is that products from the project are applied to oil and gas exploration and production equipment.

According to the project coordinator, Professor Carlos Carone, this is the first study with commercial application in which the rubber will have a connectivity system, allowing data extraction in real time. “This way, it will be possible to monitor the behavior of the seals in the field”, explains Carone.

The polymer composite, which will contain graphene, will generate electrical signals, which will be interpreted by software, making it possible to monitor characteristics correlated to the product's life cycle.