Synthetic rubbers are another class of rubbers along with natural rubbers. They have specific features and properties that they can find various kinds of applications in engineering. And there are lots of kinds of synthetic rubbers avaliable in market. In here we discuss the general properties of synthetic rubbers along with an example of natural rubbers: Chloroprene rubber.
In commercial basis and volume, the natural rubbers can not meet the all requirement of rubber industry. The excessive need of rubbers started at world war times in which finding natural rubbers is very hard. Thus, some techniques are developed to produce rubbers synthetically from other sources. The most important source of synthetic rubbers is petroleum. Today also, generally all the rubber products are synthesized from petroleum.
An example of these synthetic rubber products is chloroprene rubber. This rubber one of the oldest synthesized rubber and also known as ‘Neorubber’. It is synthesized in 1930’s first time. It has a very specific property that when it is strained to increase the mechanical properties, it crystallizes. Chloroprene also much more resistant to oils, weather, ozone, heat, and flame (self-extinguishing property because of chlorine addition), compared with natural rubbers. Conveyors, gaskets, automotive parts and fuel hoses are general applications of chloroprene rubber.
It has chemical representation of (C4H5Cl)n, in which ‘n’ respresents the number of monomers in molecular chain. The temperature range that chloroprene can be used in applications starts with -50C to 110C. Chloroprene has 700% of elongation according to its original shape maximum. Also it has modulus of elasticity value of 7 MPa at 300% elongation and tensile strength of 20 MPa.
These are the general properties of synthetic polymers and chloroprene rubbers. Do not forget to leave your comments and questions about synthetic rubbers below. Your precious feedbacks are very important for us.
