Devulcanization of rubber and other elastomers

1. A devulcanization apparatus for devulcanizing a plurality of cross-linked elastomer particles, comprising:

a first conveyor functioning as a high voltage electrode, wherein the first conveyor comprises a first main conveying plate having a plurality of plate sections comprised of a first electrically conductive material which are interconnected together;

a second conveyor functioning as a ground electrode, wherein the second conveyor comprises a second main conveying plate having a plurality of plate sections comprised of a second electrically conductive material which are interconnected together;

a generator operable to apply an alternating electric field between said first and second conveyors; and

a devulcanization region between said first and second conveyors in which said cross-linked elastomer particles are placed.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the voltage applied to said first conveyor is between 1000 V and 10,000 V.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said plate sections of said first and second main conveying plates are sized and shaped to permit the first and second main conveying plates to be conveyed in a loop while maintaining the cross-linked elastomer particles under pressure.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said plate sections comprises a main body section having a plurality of protrusions and recesses such that the protrusions of a first plate section engage corresponding recesses in an adjacent second plate section and wherein a shaft extends through said first and said second plate sections to secure the first and second plate sections together.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the plate sections has one or more holes for engaging teeth of a driver for driving the first and second conveyors.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said shaft extends through a plurality of ball bearings, said ball bearings being retained in a groove formed in a conveyor frame as the first conveyor moves.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said conveyor frame includes an insulator adjacent to said first conveyor.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second conveyors are capable of compressing vulcanized elastomer particles in said devulcanization region to about 50 to 5000 psi.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said generator is operable to generate a signal that is substantially a sinusoid having a wavelength λ, and wherein said plurality of cross-linked elastomer particles are positioned between said first and second conveyors and adjacent a point on said first conveyor that is located a distance of ¼λ or ¼λ plus a multiple of ½λ from said generator such that a substantially constant voltage is provided between said first and second conveyors.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a substantially constant current passes between said first and second conveyors.