Natural Rubber: The Natural Choice
Natural rubber is extracted from the latex (i.e., rubber milk) of rubber trees, mainly consisting of polymers of isoprene, with excellent elasticity, tear resistance, and abrasion resistance. The greatest advantage of natural rubber lies in its eco-friendliness, as it is a renewable resource, biodegradable, and imposes a relatively lower environmental burden.
Synthetic Rubber: The Product of Artificial Intelligence
Unlike natural rubber, synthetic rubber is manufactured through a chemical synthesis process, which can be customized according to specific application needs. There are a wide variety of synthetic rubbers, including:
- Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR): Known for its oil resistance, heat resistance, and abrasion resistance, commonly used in applications requiring oil and chemical resistance, such as seals and hoses in the automotive and aerospace industries, as well as in oilfield exploration and processing.
- Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR): Heat and wear-resistant, frequently used in tire manufacturing and various rubber products.
- Neoprene (CR): Heat and oil-resistant, commonly used in making wetsuits, vibration mounts, and various industrial parts.
- Silicone Rubber: Resistant to high and low temperatures, often used in medical devices, kitchenware, baby products, and seals.
- Polyurethane Rubber (PU): Known for its excellent abrasion resistance, used in the footwear industry (especially for soles of sports shoes), automotive parts, industrial conveyor belts, and foam materials.
- Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM): Exceptionally weather and heat-resistant, commonly used in the automotive industry for seals, roofing materials, window frame seals, and garden and industrial hoses.
- Viton/FKM: Excellent chemical and high-temperature resistance, suitable for use as sealing rings and hoses in the chemical industry, as well as fuel and hydraulic system parts in the aerospace industry.
- Hydrogenated Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (HNBR): Oil and wear-resistant, often used in the automotive industry, hoses, seals, and high-performance applications in heavy industry and oil exploration.
- Isobutylene Isoprene Rubber (IIR): Superior gas impermeability and chemical resistance, used in manufacturing inner tubes, protective clothing, storage containers for chemicals and petroleum products, and as an insulating material in the electrical industry.
How to Make a Choice?
The choice between natural and synthetic rubber depends on your specific needs and application areas. If you value environmental sustainability and biodegradability, natural rubber might be the better choice. However, if you require specific performance characteristics, such as high heat resistance or specific chemical resistance, synthetic rubber provides more customization options.
For more information, please contact our customer service: https://www.zonrubber.com/en/contact We are eager to assist you.
