Knowra Synthetic rubber Synthetic rubber Synthetic rubber is an elastomer made from chemically synthesized polymers rather than harvested plant latex. Its properties vary with polymer chemistry and formulation.
Elastomer : A polymer that can stretch substantially and recover its original shape after the force is removed. Synthetic rubber belongs to this broad class because its polymers recover after stretching.
Butadiene : A four-carbon diene used as a monomer in several important synthetic rubbers. Its polymer forms the backbone of widely used diene rubbers.
Natural rubber : An elastomer obtained chiefly from the latex of the rubber tree Hevea brasiliensis. It is the harvested-plant material synthetic rubber was designed to supplement or replace.
Tire : A rubber-covered component fitted to a wheel to provide traction, cushioning, and load support. Tires consume large quantities of synthetic rubber, often blended with natural rubber.
Natural rubber production : The cultivation and processing of rubber-bearing plants to obtain natural elastomeric latex. It supplies the plant-derived material against which synthetic production is commonly compared.
Polymerization : A chemical process that joins small molecules into chains or networks of repeating units. Synthetic rubber production builds elastomeric polymers through controlled polymerization.
Styrene-butadiene rubber : A copolymer of styrene and butadiene used extensively in tires and other rubber goods. This major synthetic rubber balances abrasion resistance, cost, and processability.
Fritz Hofmann : A German chemist who developed an early commercially viable synthetic rubber, methyl rubber, in the early twentieth century. His work marked an early industrial attempt to manufacture rubber from chemical feedstocks.
Automotive industry : The industrial system that designs, manufactures, and sells motor vehicles and their components. Vehicle production relies on synthetic rubber for tires, seals, hoses, and belts.
Latex allergy : An immune reaction to proteins found in natural rubber latex, ranging from skin symptoms to severe reactions. Some synthetic rubber products avoid the natural-latex proteins that cause this allergy.
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