Natural and Synthetic Rubber

Natural rubber is a polymer characterized by long, threadlike molecules, and is obtained from a discharge (i.e., natural latex) which flows from the trunk of some plant species through incisions or cuts made on the bark.

 

About 99 percent of all natural rubber comes from the Hevea brasiliensis. This tree is called a rubber tree, and grows in hot, humid climates and in well-drained, acidic soil.

 

The finest rubber comes from trees that are grown within the range that extends about 1,100 miles on each side of Equator. The trees begin to yield about 6 to 7 years after planting, and they achieve their peak performance after their tenth year. Rubber trees yield their maximum capacity up to about 25 to 30 years.

 

The workers in rubber plantations are called "cutters". They collect the latex from the trees by cutting a narrow channel in the trunks between 1.20 and 1.50 meters above the ground.

 

The channel runs diagonally down about half of the trunk. At the end of cut, a metal trough in the form of a "U" is placed, which reaches a small cup. The latex flows from the cut and into the cup. About 30 to 35 percent of latex is pure rubber.

 

On some plantations, trees are cut every other day. In others, the trees are cut every day for two weeks and then allowed to "rest" for a similar length of time.

 

Natural latex is easily damaged and must be transformed into crude rubber as soon as possible after the cut. This is done in the coagulation tanks, where the sap's natural rubber and other materials are separated. The coagulated rubber is transformed into a crepe, granules or sheets. The coagulation produces various grades of rubber, which are classified as dry rubber and liquid rubber.

 

Rubber is especially useful for several reasons: it retains air, is water repellent, does not conduct electricity easily and has long life. Its primary advantage, however, is that it is elastic.

 

Modern society depends so much on rubber that it would be almost impossible to function without it. This is not true of most other materials, which can be replaced much more easily in the majority of their uses.

 

Although natural rubber has intrinsic properties that make it an irreplaceable element, its characteristics have been matched by the chemical processes that gave rise to so-called synthetic rubber.

 

While it is possible to produce synthetic rubber from various raw materials, particularly coal, for reasons of cost it is made mostly from petroleum.

 

Manufacturers group synthetic rubber into two classes: general purpose and special purpose.

 

The general purpose rubbers have many applications in which they substitute for natural rubber, while special purpose rubbers have properties such as the resistance to oils, fuels, air, and extreme temperatures which make them better than natural rubber for certain applications.

 

The world now uses almost twice as much synthetic rubber as natural rubber. This is because synthetic rubber can be produced in a sufficiently cheap manner to compete with the cost of natural rubber. However, the rising cost of the perishable supplies of oil and coal has reduced the growth of synthetic rubber production.

We are pleased to present Ameripol Additives, a provider of rubber.

 

Ameripol Additives offers a wide range of rubber, including EPDM, NBR and SBR, as well as additives for them.

 

Learn more about the Profile, Products, Address and Phone Number of Ameripol Additives.

 

Or, contact Ameripol Additives directly for more information about their additives.