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Elastomers
Although naturally occurring rubber from the tropical tree has been
known for ages, the Spanish navigator and historian Gonzalo Valdez (1478-
1557) was the first to describe the rubber balls used by Indians. Natural
rubber was brought back to Europe from the Amazon in 1735 by Charles
Condamine, a French mathematical geographer, but it remained only a
curiosity. Michael Faraday made a rubber hose from it in 1824. But it was
not until Charles Goodyear discovered vulcanization in 1839 that natural
rubber got its first wave of interest. As the story goes, Charles became so
involved with his job that he set up a laboratory at home to study the
chemistry of rubber. Because his wife hated the odor of his experiments, he
could only continue his work at home when she was not around. While
studying the effect of sulfur and other additives on the properties of rubber
he was interrupted unexpectedly by his wife one day when she returned
home early from shopping. He quickly shoved his latest mixture into the
oven to hide it. As fate had it, the oven was lit, the rubber was vulcanized,
and the modern era of elastomer research was born. His first patent covering
this process was issued in 1844.
Today both natural rubber, an agricultural crop, and synthetic elastomers
are multi-billion dollar businesses. Looking back at Fig. 16.1, we see that
Synthetic Rubber (NAICS 325212) totals $5.7 billion. It is a large area of
polymer use and is 1% of Chemical Manufacturing. But in the related
industry covering final end products called Plastics and Rubber Products
Table 18.1 U.S. Production of Synthetic Elastomers,
Consumption of Natural Rubber
2. NATURAL RUBBER
3. VULCANIZATION
SH 2-mercaptobenzothiazole
Zinc oxide and certain fatty acids (RCOOH) are also added. Although
this mechanism is by no means completely understood, it is proposed that
the benzothiazole and zinc oxide give a zinc mercaptide, and this forms a
soluble complex with the fatty acid.
These complexes then react with the allyl carbons of rubber, the most
reactive sites in the polymer.
5. REINFORCING AGENTS
6. ANTIDEGRADANTS
Most polymers are attacked by oxygen, ozone, and ultraviolet light.
Rubber is one such polymer that is rapidly degraded in molecular weight and
mechanical strength. Over 100 chemicals, collectively called age resistors or
age antidegradants, are added to elastomers to keep them from becoming
brittle, turning sticky, developing cracks, etc.
Most oxidation inhibitors today are either amines, phenols, or phosphites.
Phenols were suggested as early as 1870 to combat aging. Amines are now
used more than phenols in elastomers. Combinations are often used for heat,
oxygen, ozone, UV, and moisture resistance. Two examples of amine age
resistors are given here. The market is about 150 million Ib/yr, of which
amines are about 60%. The market breakdown for antidegradants is
phenylenediamines (50%), phenolics (13%), phosphites (13%), quinolines
(10%), diphenylamines (6%), and others (8%).
By far the largest selling elastomers are SBR and natural rubber. SBR at
1.93 billion Ib/yr accounts for about 35% of the U.S. synthetic rubber market
and 25% of the total rubber market. The U.S. imports about 2.2 billion Ib of
natural rubber per year. A distant third is polybutadiene at 1.33 billion Ib. In
1940 natural rubber had 99.6% of the U.S. market. Today it has only 29%.
In 1950 synthetic elastomer consumption passed natural rubber use in the
U.S. Since then it has been a battle between the leading synthetic, SBR, and
the natural product. It is apparent that these two polymers are very
important. Table 18.2 summarizes and compares them by their properties.
Year
Figure 18.1 U.S. consumption of natural rubber vs. SBR production. (Source:
Chemical and Engineering News and Chemical Economic Handbook)
The balance between natural rubber and SBR is a delicate one. Natural
rubber has made a comeback and reversed its downward trend.
Developments of rubber farming have raised the yield from 500 Ib/acre/yr to
2,000-3,000. Petrochemical shortages and price increases have hurt SBR.
Finally, the trend toward radial-ply tires, which contain a higher proportion
of natural rubber, favors this comeback. Fig 18.1 shows the U.S. natural
rubber consumption trends vs. U.S. SBR production, where this
"bounceback" of the natural rubber market is very evident from 1980 to the
present. The competitive price structure for these two elastomers through
the years has been very evident, and their prices are never too far apart.
10. TIRES
No discussion of elastomers is complete without a mention of tire
technology. About 70% of all synthetic elastomers in the U.S. are used in
tires. About 264 million tires are produced in the U.S. annually, 217 million
for cars and the rest for trucks and busses. A typical tire is made up of four
parts: (1) the tread, which grips the road; (2) the sidewall, which protects the
Tread
Carcass
Liner
Sidewall
Figure 18.2 Parts of a typical tire. (Source: Wittcoff and Reuben, Industrial Organic
Chemicals in Perspective. Part Two: Technology, Formulation, and Use, John Wiley &
Sons, 1980. Reprinted by permission of John Wiley & Sons, Inc.)
sides of the tire; (3) the liner, which prevents air loss; and (4) the carcass,
which holds the layers together (Fig. 18.2).
The tire is about 50% rubber by weight. Carbon black (as a reinforcing
agent), extender oil, and the tire cord in the carcass make up the rest. The
cord was rayon for many years. Glass fiber has also been popular. But now
nylon, polyester, and steel are the major cord components. Steel became
most popular in radial tires of the 1980s and is growing in importance as the
primary reinforcing agent. About 75% of car radial tires and 92% of truck
radials are steel belted.
The tread must have the best possible "grip" to the road. Grip is
inversely related to elasticity, and natural rubber has good elasticity but poor
grip, so no natural rubber is used in automobile tire treads. Treads are
blended of SBR and polybutadiene in an approximate ratio of 3:1. Truck tire
treads do have natural rubber, between 65-100%, to avoid heat buildup and
because grip is not so necessary in heavy trucks. Aircraft tires consist of
100% natural rubber.
The carcass requires better flexing properties than the tread and is a blend
of natural rubber and SBR, but at least 60% of natural rubber. The sidewalls
have a lower percentage of natural rubber, from 0-50%. The liner is made of
butyl rubber because of its extreme impermeability to air.
The most important single trend in the U.S. tire market is the switch from
cross-ply and belted bias-ply to radial-ply tires. Radials held only 8% of the
Cross-ply Belted bias-ply Radial
Figure 18.3 Types of plies in tires. (Source: Writeoff and Reuben, Industrial Organic
Chemicals in Perspective. Part Two: Technology, Formulation, and Use, John Wiley &
Sons, 1980. Reprinted by permission of John Wiley & Sons, Inc.)
U.S. car tire market in 1972, but by 1977 it had grown to 50% and it is now
89%. The difference in the three is shown in Fig. 18.3.
A tire carcass contains plies of rubberized fabric. In the cross-ply the
cords cross the tire at an angle. In the belted bias-ply the cords cross at an
angle and an additional belt of fabric is placed between the plies and the
tread. In the radial-ply the cords run straight across the tire and an extra belt
of fabric is included. Radial tires have better tread wear average (66,000
miles radial, 40,000 miles bias-ply) and better road-holding ability.
However, they are more easily damaged on the sidewall and they give a less
comfortable ride. They also require a higher proportion (80% vs. 50%) of
the more expensive natural rubber. It seems likely that the popularity of
radial-ply tires will continue, and natural rubber consumption may continue
its comeback.
Today the elastomer can be reclaimed from discarded tires. Over 2
billion are available for recycling. Most reclaiming of the elastomer is done
by an alkali process with 5-8% caustic soda and heating. Reclaiming is not
profitable unless it costs no more than half as much as pure elastomer, since
reclaimed material contains only 50% elastomer hydrocarbon.
Approximately 0.66 billion Ib of elastomer is reclaimed each year in the
U.S., only about 10% of the total elastomers used. Efforts are also being
made to burn discarded tires for fuel to generate electricity, since each tire
contains energy equivalent to 2.5 gallons of oil as fuel, enough to heat an
average house for a day.
11. IMPORTANT ELASTOMERS
We will finish this chapter with the following sections that give many of
the details for elastomers including chemical structure, manufacturing
process, some properties, and main uses. Some familiarity with these
elastomers is essential.
1. Manufacture
Biological polymerization in rubber tree
See Fig. 15.1 for biosynthesis
98% cis configuration, MW = 350,000-500,000
2. Properties, see table 18.2
3. Uses
76% in tires, other miscellaneous uses
4. Economics
Radial tires, favoring natural rubber, gave good growth since 1980.
Will slow now that radial tires no longer increasing
No production in U.S.
U.S. consumption from imports at 2.2 billion Ib/yr
1. Manufacture
Introduced in 1933
Emulsion and solution polymerization
Free radical catalyst at low temperatures
75% Butadiene by weight, 85% butadiene molar
1,2- and 1,4-Butadiene units mixed
2. Properties, see Table 18.2
3. Uses
Tires and tire products, including tread rubber, 77%; mechanical
goods, 15%; automotive, 5%; miscellaneous, 3%
4. Economics
2000 Production at 1.93 billion Ib
SBR suffering since 1980
Change to radial tires, favoring natural rubber, now complete
Replacement automotive parts a growing use
1990-2000 Annual change of 1.0%
11.3 Polybutadiene, BR
1. Manufacture
Introduced in 1955
Solution and emulsion polymerization
Ziegler-Natta catalysis
Mostly cis configuration
2. Properties
Excellent abrasion resistance
Low temperature flexibility
Poor traction
3. Uses
Tires and treads for automobiles, trucks, and buses, 72%; high-
impact resin modification, 25%; industrial products (conveyor
belts, hoses, seals, and gaskets) and other applications, 3%
4. Economics
2000 Production at 1.33 billion Ib
Tire use expanding
Impact modifier for styrene growing
11.4 Ethylene-Propylene, EPDM, EPM, EP
1. Manufacture
Introduced in 1963
Ziegler-Natta catalysis
EP is abbreviation, EPM means ethylene and propylene only, EPDM
means ethylene, propylene, and dimer
Most, about 85%, of EP is EPDM
55% Ethylene, 40% propylene, 5% dimer for cross-linking
2. Properties
Low-temperature flexibility
Good age, heat, and abrasion resistance
3. Uses
Automotive, 44%; roofing membrane, 18%; oil additive, 10%; wire
and cable, 8%; miscellaneous, 20%
4. Economics
2000 Production 0.76 billion Ib
1990-2000 Increase 5.2%/yr
Fastest growing elastomer
Growing markets in automotive, building materials, and petroleum
additives
1. Manufacture
Introduced in 1937
Low-temperature solution polymerization
Cationic initiation
0.6-3.5% Isoprene added for cross-linking
2. Properties
Low permeability to air and water
Weather resistance
Noise and vibration resistance
3. Uses
Tires, tubes, and other pneumatic products, 83%; automotive
mechanical goods, 6%; adhesives, caulks, and sealants, 6%;
pharmaceutical uses, 4%; miscellaneous, 1%
1. Manufacture
Introduced in 1937
Emulsion polymerization
Free radical catalyst
10-40% Acrylonitrile
2. Properties
Solvent, fat, and oil resistance
Wide temperature performance
Low coefficient of friction
3. Uses
Hose, belting, and cable, 28%; O-rings and seals, 20%; latex, 15%;
molded and extruded products, 15%; adhesives and sealants,
10%; sponge, 5%; footwear, 2%; miscellaneous, 5%
11.7 Polychloroprene, CR
1. Manufacture
Introduced in 1931
Emulsion polymerization
Free radical catalysis
Mostly trans configuration
2. Properties
Figure 18.4 Research size equipment for ply building in tires to test the usefulness of
various fibers as the plies in tires. (Courtesy of Du Pont)
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