Solution styrene butadiene rubber SSBR

SSBR was first produced in the 1960s following the discovery of the alkyl lithium polymerisation catalyst. It is the third largest volume synthetic rubber accounting for about 12 % of the total of all types (see Table 8.1). Consumption within the EU is approximately 

SSBR is a high performance product. It must be manufactured to the highest quality level because of its principal application in safety critical products. In order to achieve the required performance and to give easy and consistent manufacturing processes, very tight specifications are applied by rubber goods manufacturers and the other industries supplied. 

The production of SSBR is highly capital intensive, hence the industry in Europe only employs about 500 people however, a further 300000 are involved in the manufacture of goods containing SSBR. 

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The family consists of, in order of market volume, polybutadiene (or butadiene rubber, BR), solution styrene butadiene rubber (SSBR) and styrenic block copolymers (SBC). A further subdivision may be made into those polymers that require vulcanisation (BR, SSBR) and those that do not (SBC). The latter are also known as thermoplastic rubbers as they have rubbery properties below a certain temperature when they soften and may be processed like thermoplastics. 

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