Synthetic Rubber

Idea of synthetic alternative to natural rubber and its development took place during eth 20th century. The initial development of the industry was closely associated with the demands of the 1st and 2nd world war. While natural is a gift of nature, synthetic rubbers are made in the chemical plants, using the raw materials mostly from the petroleum industry. Important raw materials being used for the production of synthetic rubber are butadiene, styrene, isoprene, chloroprene, isobutylebe, acrylonitrile, ethylene, and propylene. Depending on the quantity and type of the monomer used, conditions of polymerisation and the end use requirement, different tailormade forms of synthetic rubbers can be made. Following are the commercially important synthetic rubber.