Synthetic rubber is made from petroleum and has many advantages over natural rubber. It is used in a variety of applications, including car tires and medical equipment. The creation of synthetic rubber begins with petroleum, and there are several popular varieties, including styrene butadiene rubber and isoprene rubber.
Synthetic rubber is created from petroleum and is classified as a man-made elastomer. This means that it can be deformed without taking damage and can return to its original shape after being stretched. Artificial rubber has many advantages over natural rubber and is used in many applications due to its superior performance. The use of synthetic rubber is much more important than natural rubber in most industrialized nations.
Natural rubber, unlike the artificial type, is not a petroleum product but is grown on the Hevea brasiliensis, or rubber tree. Mature rubber trees produce latex, which can be harvested without harming the tree. One major drawback of natural rubber is its limited supply.
The demand for rubber sources began to increase rapidly with the invention of automobiles and automobile tires. Many scientists searched for a synthetic alternative in the early 20th century, but it wasn’t until World War II that synthetic rubber replaced natural sources. Warfare in the Pacific during this period cut off the United States rubber supply from the East Indies. Artificial rubber production during the 1920s expanded to over 1940 times pre-war levels.
The creation of artificial rubber begins with petroleum. Two gases called butadiene and styrene are produced as by-products during the petroleum refining process. Liquid latex, a basic form of synthetic rubber, is created when butadiene and styrene are properly combined. After liquid latex has been allowed to dry, it can be molded into different shapes and used by manufacturing plants in place of natural rubber.
Synthetic rubber is used in a wide variety of applications. In addition to its importance in car tires, man-made rubber is also commonly used to make medical equipment, molded parts, and machinery belts. Many industrial pipes and gaskets are also created using artificial rubber.
There are several popular varieties of synthetic rubber. These are usually created by combining chemicals in different amounts during the rubber manufacturing process. Styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) is very common and is able to withstand temperatures between -40 and 212 F (-40 and 100 C). This type of rubber is widely used in the treads of aircraft and automobile tires as well as conveyor belts and other industrial products.
Isoprene rubber (IR) can withstand higher temperatures than styrene butadiene rubber. IR has a maximum temperature tolerance of 266 F (130 C). This man-made rubber is often used in products that must withstand high levels of heat, such as vehicle heater hoses and high-performance car tires.
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