What Is Synthetic Rubber: Versatile, Unique Performance Solution
Synthetic rubber, also known as synthetic elastomer, is a highly elastic polymer synthesized by humans. Its output is only lower than that of synthetic resin (or plastic) and synthetic fiber. Developing synthetic rubbers aimed to create materials with desirable properties similar to natural rubber, such as flexibility, resilience, and durability. Various types of synthetic rubber are on the market.
According to different sources, rubber can be divided into natural rubber and synthetic rubber. Its performance varies with different monomers, and the performance of a few varieties is similar to that of natural rubber. Synthetic rubber is generally not as comprehensive in performance as natural rubber, but it has high elasticity, insulation, air tightness, oil resistance, high temperature or low temperature resistance, etc., so it is widely used in industry, agriculture, automotive, national defense, transportation, and daily life.
Natural Rubber vs Synthetic Rubber
Natural rubber and synthetic rubber have distinct characteristics in terms of their origin, properties, and applications. Natural rubber is derived from the latex sap of the Hevea brasiliensis tree (rubber tree). It's a naturally occurring polymer of isoprene. Synthetic rubber is an artificially produced polymer that can save costs and improve the properties of rubber products. There are many types, each with unique properties based on the monomers used, and a few varieties have properties similar to natural rubber.
Neither natural nor synthetic rubber is universally "better." The optimal choice depends entirely on the specific application requirements. Natural rubber excels in applications requiring high strength, elasticity, and resistance to wear and tear under normal environmental conditions. Synthetic rubbers offer a wider range of properties and are often preferred when resistance to specific degrading factors like oils, chemicals, extreme temperatures, or ozone is crucial. In many applications, blends of natural and synthetic rubbers are used to achieve a balance of desired properties and cost-effectiveness.
What Is Synthetic Rubber Made Of?
Unlike natural rubber, which comes from rubber trees, synthetic rubber is made from various chemical compounds, primarily derived from petroleum or natural gas. It is chemically assembled from specific molecules derived from petroleum and natural gas into long, flexible polymer chains, and other substances are often added to enhance its properties. The specific monomers used determine the final properties of the synthetic rubber.
Each synthetic rubber is suitable for different product environments, depending on the added substances, fillers, processing aids, vulcanization systems, antidegradants, and other additives.
Synthetic Rubber Manufacturing Process
Here's a simple look at how synthetic rubber is made: Step 1: Monomer Production: First, we take hydrocarbons from oil or natural gas. Then, using processes like cracking and distillation, we break these down into smaller pieces and clean them to get the monomers we need.
Step 2: Polymerization: Then, the individual monomers are joined together chemically in long chains. This process is called polymerization. We use special helpers called catalysts to start and control this joining process, which makes big polymer molecules. Different ways of doing polymerization are used, like emulsion polymerization and solution polymerization. The method we use depends on the type of synthetic rubber we are making.
Step 3: Compounding and Additives: The resulting polymer often needs to be further processed and mixed with various additives to achieve the desired properties for specific applications.
Step 4: Vulcanization (Optional): Sometimes, we do vulcanization. During vulcanization, cross-links are formed between the polymer chains, which transform the soft, sticky rubber into a more elastic, durable, and heat-resistant material.
Step 5: Shaping and Finishing: The last step is to shape the synthetic rubber into the things we want to make. We can do this in different ways, like extrusion, injection molding, compression molding, or calendering. After shaping, we might do extra finishing steps, like trimming, treating the surface, or printing. This is to ensure that the products are exactly what they need to be for their final use.
Common monomers used to make synthetic rubber include:
Butadiene: A main monomer for many synthetic rubbers. It makes them stretchy. Styrene: Often mixed with butadiene to make Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR). This makes the rubber hard and resistant to wear. Isoprene: Used to make synthetic polyisoprene, which is very similar to natural rubber. Chloroprene: This is the monomer for Neoprene. Neoprene is known for resisting oil and chemicals. Acrylonitrile: Used in Nitrile Rubber (NBR). It helps the rubber resist oil and fuel. Ethylene and Propylene: Mixed with another monomer called diene to make EPDM rubber. This rubber is good at resisting weather and ozone. Isobutylene and Isoprene: These react together to form Butyl Rubber (IIR). This type of rubber is very good at stopping gases from passing through. Silicon: Used to make silicone polymers for silicone rubber. This rubber has a different structure inside, with silicon and oxygen instead of just carbon.
Types Of Synthetic Rubber
There are several types of synthetic rubber, each with its unique properties and applications. Here are some of the most common ones:
Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR) Derived from styrene and butadiene. It has good wear resistance, high tensile strength, and excellent aging resistance. It is widely used in the tire industry, accounting for a large part of tire production, and is also used in industrial rubber applications such as soles, gaskets, hoses, and seals.
Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer Rubber (EPDM) EPDM is a synthetic rubber made from the polymerization of ethylene, propylene, and certain other alpha-olefin comonomers. EPDM boasts exceptional weather resistance, heat tolerance, and UV protection. and is widely used in outdoor, construction, and automotive industries to make EPDM weather stripping and seals. It is also used for roof waterproofing membranes, seals, and gaskets.
Chloroprene Rubber (CR) Chloroprene rubber, commonly known as neoprene, polychloroprene, is a synthetic rubber renowned for its good chemical resistance, excellent weatherability, and flame-retardant properties. It also has high tensile strength and good adhesion properties. Widely used in a variety of applications, including industrial hoses, gaskets, and seals, shock absorber seals.
Viton Rubber Viton, a member of the fluororubber (FKM) family, is a high-performance synthetic rubber known for its excellent chemical resistance, high temperature stability, and sealing properties. Due to its natural resistance to fuels and oils, Viton seals, O-rings, and other rubber parts are widely used in the automotive, appliance, chemical, and fluid power industries.
Nitrile Rubber Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR), also known as Buna-N, is a synthetic rubber copolymer of acrylonitrile and butadiene. Has excellent oil resistance, good chemical resistance, high tensile strength, and abrasion resistance. It is widely used to make door and window seals, hoses, gaskets, and seals in various applications, such as automotive, mechanical equipment.
Thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPV) Thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) is a unique high-performance material that combines the advantages of thermoplastics and vulcanized rubber. It has excellent elastic properties, good chemical resistance, high temperature resistance, good tensile strength, and tear resistance. Unlike traditional vulcanized rubber, TPV can be processed using thermoplastic processing methods such as injection molding, extrusion, and blow molding. TPV is widely used in automotive parts, household appliances, industrial seals and gaskets, and other industrials.
Your Go-To Supplier of Synthetic Rubber Parts
When your application requires more than just basic synthetic rubber parts, you can choose us, Guangdong Zhongxiang. Synthetic rubber is formulated and produced in a variety of ways, and our rubber experts have many years of in-house laboratory and synthetic rubber industry experience.
We fully understand and apply the many advantages and challenges of synthetic rubber, and can help you optimize your products and tailor solutions to your performance and design needs to give full play to the most valuable properties of these man-made polymers. Contact us or call 86-199-2560-3717 to request a quote today to get started with custom quality synthetic rubber production with ZYXrubber.
