Synthetic Rubber: Types and Differences from Natural Rubber

Synthetic rubber has been used for several industrial needs, one of them being tire raw material. It also becomes the alternative to natural rubbers that are now hard to find and fulfill market demand.

Then, what is synthetic rubber and the difference from natural rubbers? This article discusses the ins and outs of synthetic rubber. Thus, read the detailed explanation below.

What Is Synthetic Rubber?

Synthetic rubber is all forms of rubber made by humans. It is nearly similar to natural rubbers and often used just like natural ones.

Synthetic rubbers emerge as an answer to the increasing demand for natural rubbers, but not with the supply. Moreover, synthetic rubber offers higher quality, making the rubber market more competitive.

According to Statista, in 2023, global synthetic rubber production reached 14 million metric tons. Although the number decreased compared to 2022, which was 15 million metric tons, the number was considered big for synthetic rubber production.

Synthetic rubber was first introduced in 1909 by a chemist named Fritz Hofmann who at that time worked for the Bayer & Co company in Germany.

Hofmann started to develop synthetic rubbers according to industrial needs, such as heat resistance, extreme weather resistance, and other properties. For three years up to 1909, he developed the rubber and succeeded in patenting the result of the research.

Different from natural rubbers that come from rubber tree sap, synthetic rubber is made from petroleum by-products produced through a series of processes.

Typically, synthetic rubbers contain basic petrochemicals (like hydrocarbon), natural gas for making monomers, filler, cure systems, antidegradant, and other additional materials.

How to Make Synthetic Rubbers

The process of making synthetic rubbers begins with mixing the hydrocarbons (petroleum or coals) to be naphtha. Naphtha is introduced to natural gas that triggers the reaction to make monomers.

The identical monomers must be bonded to become polymers. Next, the polymers are introduced to other chemical agents to become polymer chains.

The next process includes vulcanization or hardening of polymer chains into rubber substances. During vulcanization, sulfur and polychloroprene are added to the polymer chains to make them harden. Once the vulcanization is complete, synthetic rubbers can be processed and shaped according to needs.

Types of Synthetic Rubbers

There are many synthetic rubbers developed by humans for industrial purposes. Below are the detailed information and the benefits:

1. Styrene Butadiene

Styrene butadiene is derived from styrene and butadiene. It is typically used to produce tires because it can make the tire resistant to abrasion. These synthetic rubbers are also used to make shoe soles and gaskets.

2. Chloroprene

Chloroprene or neoprene was first introduced in the 1930s. It is beneficial for making diving suits, cycling suits, laptop bags, and costumes. It is also used for bridge construction.

3. Butyl Rubbers

Butyl rubber is an isobutylene and isoprene copolymer. The use of butyl rubber in the industrial sector is very common and has become the main ingredient in certain products.

It is also used to make inner tubes, roofing, pharmaceutical products, sports products, speakers, and gas masks.

4. Polyisoprene

Polyisoprene has a similar structure to natural rubbers and is even used as a substitute for natural rubber for several products. It is also durable and has tensile strength.

5. Chlorinated Polyethylene

Chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) is a synthetic rubber added to products needing impact-resistant and extreme weather-resistant elements.

6. Nitrile Butadiene

Nitrile butadiene is resistant to fuels, oils, and other chemicals. It is typically used in the automotive and aerospace industries to make gaskets and hoses. Moreover, it is also used to make disposable gloves and synthetic leather.

7. Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer

Ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) is a popular synthetic rubber and is used in many industries. EPDM has excellent sealing, durability, and strength.

Due to these characteristics, EPDM is often used in the construction and automotive industries, where products require weather-resistant elements. Not only that but EPDM is also used to make electronics and consumer products.

8. Acrylonitrile Butadiene

Acrylonitrile butadiene is a mix of acrylonitrile and butadiene. It is famous for its good durability and oil resistance. It is often used in the automotive industry for fuel handling systems, sealing, and gaskets.

9. Fluoroelastomers

Fluoroelastomers are stable synthetic rubber, despite being exposed to extreme heat for a long time. Thus, they are used in the extreme heat. This material is also resistant to fire, oil, ozone, and other chemicals as well as has a fairly long lifespan.

10. Polyurethane

Polyurethane or PU has high abrasion resistance and heavy load resistance. That is why PU is used in wheels and sealants. Moreover, PU can mimic the properties of rubbers and plastics.

11. Nitrile

Nitrile is a synthetic rubber that is highly resistant to oil, fuel, and chemicals. Nitrile is used in producing aeronautics, sealants, carpets, shoes, and gloves.

12. Thermoplastic Vulcanizates

Thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPV) or Santoprene is a synthetic rubber similar to EPDM. It is recyclable, has good sealing ability, and is comfortable to the touch. TPV is often used to produce household products and construction materials.

13. Polybutadiene

The last type is polybutadiene which is typically used to produce vehicle tires. In addition, it is used to make golf ball cores and plastic mixtures.

The Differences Between Synthetic and Natural Rubbers

The underlying difference between synthetic and natural rubbers is the origin. Natural rubbers are from rubber trees, while synthetic rubbers are made artificially by humans.

Since natural rubbers are from rubber trees, whose latex is not always available, it is difficult to meet the demand for rubber industries. That is why synthetic rubber that can be mass-produced emerged.

The benefits of natural rubbers are having high tensile strength, tear resistance, being processable, and being recyclable.

Meanwhile, natural rubber is susceptible to high temperatures and ozone degradation, price fluctuation, and prone to containing allergens (natural proteins).

In contrast, synthetic rubber has the advantage of being manipulable, consistent in quality, stable in price, and available in many forms. Then, the disadvantages are lower elasticity than natural rubber and the long production process.

That is the information about synthetic rubber you should know. With the developing technology, many rubbers are made for industrial purposes. Rubbers become an integral part of product manufacturing.

Regarding rubbers for manufacturing purposes, Chandra Asri Group as a leading chemical solution company in Southeast Asia provides styrene butadiene rubber for the automotive industry as well as the derivatives, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polybutadiene rubber, and styrene butadiene latex.

So, make sure you entrust your industrial chemical needs to Chandra Asri Group!