Natural and synthetic rubber

By Androne Radu & Surugiu Rares 10D

Natural rubber
Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, as initially
produced, consists of suitable polymers of the organic compound
isoprene, with minor impurities of other organic compounds plus water.
Forms of polyisoprene that are useful as natural rubbers are classified as
elastomers. Currently, rubber is harvested mainly in the form of the latex
from certain trees. The latex is a sticky, milky
colloid drawn off by making incisions into the
bark and collecting the fluid in vessels in a
process called "tapping". The latex then is
refined into rubber ready for commercial
processing. Natural rubber is used extensively in
many applications and products, either alone or
in combination with other materials. In most of
its useful forms, it has a large stretch ratio, high
resilience, and is extremely waterproof.
Varieties
The major commercial source of natural rubber latex is the Par
rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis), a member of the spurge family,
Euphorbiaceae. This species is widely used because it grows well under
cultivation and a properly managed tree responds to wounding by
producing more latex for several years. Many other plants produce forms
of latex rich in isoprene polymers, though not all produce usable forms of
polymer as easily as the Par rubber tree does; some of them require
more elaborate processing to produce anything like usable rubber, and
most are more difficult to tap. Some produce other desirable materials,
for example gutta-percha (Palaquium gutta) and chicle from Manilkara
species. Others that have been commercially exploited, or at least have
shown promise as sources of rubber, include the rubber fig (Ficus
elastica), Panama rubber tree (Castilla elastica), various spurges
(Euphorbia spp.), lettuce (Lactuca species), the related Scorzonera tausaghyz, various Taraxacum species, including common dandelion
(Taraxacum officinale) and Russian dandelion (Taraxacum kok-saghyz),

and guayule (Parthenium argentatum). The term gum rubber is

sometimes applied to the tree-obtained version of natural rubber in order
to distinguish it from the synthetic version.

Chemical makeup
Latex is the polymer cis-1,4-polyisoprene with a molecular weight
of 100,000 to 1,000,000 daltons. Typically, a small percentage (up to 5%
of dry mass) of other materials, such as proteins, fatty acids, resins, and
inorganic materials (salts) are found in natural rubber. Polyisoprene can
also be created synthetically, producing what is sometimes referred to as
"synthetic natural rubber", but the synthetic and natural routes are
completely different. Chemical structure of cis-polyisoprene, the main
constituent of natural rubber. Synthetic cis-polyisoprene and natural cispolyisoprene are derived from different precursors, isopentenyl
pyrophosphate and isoprene. Some natural rubber sources, such as gutta-

percha, are composed of trans-1,4-polyisoprene, a structural isomer that

has similar, but not identical, properties. Natural rubber is an elastomer
and a thermoplastic. Once the rubber is vulcanized, it will turn into a
thermoset. Most rubber in everyday use is vulcanized to a point where it
shares properties of both; i.e., if it is heated and cooled, it is degraded but
not destroyed. The final properties of a rubber item depend not just on
the polymer, but also on modifiers and fillers, such as carbon black,
factice, whiting, and a host of others.

Synthetic rubber
Synthetic rubber, invariably a polymer, is any type of artificial
elastomer mainly synthesised from petroleum byproducts. An elastomer
is a material with the mechanical (or material) property that it can
undergo much more elastic deformation under stress than most materials

and still return to its previous size without permanent deformation. About
15 billion kilograms of rubbers are produced annually, and of that amount
two thirds is synthetic. Global revenues generated with synthetic rubbers
are likely to rise to approximately US$56 billion in 2020.[2] Synthetic
rubber, like natural rubber, has uses in the automotive industry for door
and window profiles, hoses, belts, matting, flooring and dampeners
(antivibration mounts).

Natural rubber vs. synthetic rubber

Natural rubber, coming from latex of Hevea brasiliensis, is mainly
poly-cis-isoprene containing traces of impurities like protein, dirt etc.
Although it exhibits many excellent properties in terms of mechanical
performance, natural rubber is often inferior to certain synthetic rubbers,
especially with respect to its thermal stability and its compatibility with
petroleum products. Chemical structure of cis-polyisoprene, the main
constituent of natural rubber.
Synthetic cis-polyisoprene and natural cis-polyisoprene are derived
from different precursors by different chemical pathways. Synthetic
rubber is made by the polymerization of a variety of petroleum-based
precursors called monomers. The most prevalent synthetic rubbers are
styrene-butadiene rubbers (SBR) derived from the copolymerization of
styrene and 1,3-butadiene. Other synthetic rubbers are prepared from
isoprene (2-methyl-1,3-butadiene), chloroprene (2-chloro-1,3-butadiene),
and isobutylene (methylpropene) with a small percentage of isoprene for
cross-linking. These and other monomers can be mixed in various
proportions to be copolymerized to produce products with a range of
physical, mechanical, and chemical properties. The monomers can be
produced pure and the addition of impurities or additives can be
controlled by design to give optimal properties. Polymerization of pure
monomers can be better controlled to give a desired proportion of cis and
trans double bonds