What happens to rubber when you boil it?

Question

When you put rubber in boiling water what happens?

Answer 1

the particles start 2 separate but not enough 2 fall apart when u feel hot rubber it goes soft and very flexible

Answer 2

unless you have a vulcanizing agent such as sulfur or mercaptabenzathiazole you will have liquid rubber and a mess. if it has a vulcanizing agent in it it will solidify and retain whatever form you have put it into.

Answer 3

It totally depends on the type of rubber. Some will soften or melt, others will display no noticeable reaction.  Some may undergo permanent changes in durometer.

Answer 4

It gets really, really hot

Answer 5

Rubber bottle nipples, used before latex was invented, were boiled daily to sterilize them before the next use.  Over time, the rubber hardens and cracks, but it takes a lot of exposure to boiling.