Rubber

Rubber excels in elasticity, durability, and resistance to abrasion and varying temperatures, making it indispensable for applications requiring flexibility and longevity.

DoonX offers an extensive range of rubbers including natural, synthetic, neoprene, and silicone, with options for custom shaping to meet specific project needs.

What is rubber?

In the most technical sense, rubber is a specific type of elastic material that has been derived and then processed by various methods to enhance its properties. Rubber is typically flexible, durable, and water-resistant and often very resilient. It looks and feels like a combination of latex and plastic. Currently, the term "rubber" has taken on a broader definition, encompassing materials such as natural rubber, synthetic rubber, and various elastomers.

While traditional rubber is derived from the latex of rubber trees and relies on natural polymers for its creation, modern-day rubber is using new materials that aren’t solely latex-based. Instead, they use materials that are based on hydrocarbons or non-hydrocarbons or combinations of the two such as styrene-butadiene, nitrile, chloroprene, silicone, and polyurethanes, just to name a few.

A brief history of rubber

The first evidence of human-made rubber dates back to at least 1600 BC - a ball used in a ceremonial game, known as the Mesoamerican ballgame, was found in the region now known as Mexico.

The first evidences of practical rubber use appeared in South America several centuries later. In the Amazon basin, parts of rubber items dated to 1000-500 BCE have been found. It is believed that from South America the use of rubber successively spread to Central America where archaeologists have found remnants of rubber artifacts dating to 500 BCE.

In Central America, the history of rubber dates back to 500 BCE in the Olmec civilization, but it was not widely used until the process of vulcanization was discovered.

Use of items made of rubber increased rapidly during the Industrial Revolution, with the establishment of industries dedicated to manufacturing, transportation, and various other applications.

Types of Rubber

All rubbers can be characterized as either natural or synthetic elastomers. Both types have pros and cons; natural rubbers come from plants, while synthetic rubbers are made from chemical compounds, and each is valued in the manufacturing industry for different reasons.

• Natural Rubber : Natural rubber is an elastomer that is made out of natural materials that come from the latex of rubber trees.
• Synthetic Rubber: Synthetic rubber is made of synthetic materials, usually formed through chemical processes. The rubber is generally extracted during the chemical process using a polymerization method, which is a process that links monomers to form polymers. The manufacturing industry began creating synthetic rubbers as cheaper and more easily mass-produced alternatives to natural rubbers.

Advantages of Using Synthetic Rubber compared to Natural Rubber

Since synthetic rubbers are man-made, artificial elastomers, they have many benefits for daily use including their affordability along with their resistance to heat and chemicals.

• Cheaper. Most natural rubbers can be incredibly expensive, especially in their pure form, and synthetic rubbers provide cheaper alternatives to the natural products. Many synthetic rubbers are imitation versions of natural rubbers, like isoprene and butadiene.
• Heat resistant. Synthetic rubbers tend to be more heat resistant, and some are even designed to withstand high temperatures, therefore synthetic rubber products can be great for industrial and automotive applications.
• Chemical resistant. While some natural rubbers resist chemicals, synthetic rubbers can be designed to be almost completely chemical-resistant so they are great for use in harsh environments.

Common types of Synthetic Rubber

1. Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR). SBR is a synthetic rubber created from styrene and butadiene. SBR is characterized by its durability and resistance to abrasion; however, the material is not very resistant to oil and ozone, making it less suitable for certain applications.
2. Nitrile rubber (NBR). NBR is a synthetic rubber made from acrylonitrile and butadiene. Even though NBR is made from synthetic materials, it is considered highly resistant to oils and fuels, making it ideal for automotive and industrial uses. Examples of NBR include Buna-N and Perbunan.
3. Ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM). EPDM is a synthetic rubber characterized by its excellent resistance to weathering, ozone, and UV rays. EPDM is commonly used in roofing, automotive weatherstripping, and hoses.
4. Neoprene. Also known as polychloroprene, Neoprene is a synthetic rubber characterized by its excellent chemical stability and flexibility over a wide temperature range. Neoprene is used for various applications, including wetsuits, gaskets, and hoses.
5. Silicone rubber (SiR). Silicone rubber is a synthetic rubber made from silicone elastomers. SiR is known for its high heat resistance and flexibility at low temperatures. It is commonly used in medical devices, cookware, and electrical insulation.

What do we use rubber for?

The characteristic properties and applications of rubber have fascinated both scientists and investors for decades. As a versatile and durable raw material, rubber continues to conquer global markets.

Rubber products are present in virtually every branch of industry and are important both as everyday products and as special-purpose materials. The most common rubber products include:

• household items (rubber bands, floor mats).
• tires, belts, hoses, seals
• automotive rubber parts,
• footwear (soles, boots, sandals, etc.),
• medical gloves,
• industrial conveyor belts,
• sports equipment (balls, mats, grips),