Rubber Technology

General Background

Natural rubber and synthetic rubbers are important materials for a variety of engineering applications such as tires, medical gloves, gaskets in automobile and machine belts. Natural rubber has excellent dynamic properties with a low hysteresis loss and has high tear and abrasion resistance. Moreover, it can be applied in the presence of low temperature since its glass transition temperature is very low ca. -70°C. However, natural rubber deteriorates when exposed to sunlight, ozone and oxygen. Its applications are also limited because of its low resistance of oil and solvents. Since the quality of natural rubber is not possible to be controlled, synthetic rubbers have been developed to replace natural rubber. Synthetics rubbers such as styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), butadiene rubber (BR), chloroprene rubber (CR), nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), isobutylene isoprene (butyl) rubber (IIR), ethylene propylene rubber (EPDM or EPR), silicon rubber and chloroprene rubber are synthesized from polymerization. Each rubber has the specific functional group to improve some physical and chemical properties for specified applications. However, these rubbers are more expensive than natural rubber. To achieve the desired properties and increase the value of rubbers, the reinforcement and chemical modification can improve the general properties of rubbers in order to be used in a wider range of applications.

Department of Chemical Technology, Faculty of Science
Chulalongkorn University, Phayai Rd. Patumwan Bangkok 10330
Tel: 0 2218 7523-5, Fax: 0 2255 5831, Email: chemtech@chula.ac.th