Synthetic rubber consumption

Synthetic rubber consumption, 9 556t Synthetic sequences, microwaves in, 16 549-552... 

Both NR and SR are traded in a dry and in a liquid form. The elastomer market (Table 9.5.1) is divided into three major zones (USA, Europe and Southeast Asia) each of which has its own dynamics very closely linked to its internal growth. In the years 2006-2007 China increased its synthetic rubber consumption (-1-19.3%) more quickly than its natural rubber consumption... 

The most important rubber application is in tyre compounds, about 70% of the worldwide natural and synthetic rubber consumption. A conventional tyre for passenger cars contain more than ten different rubber compounds, developed as a function of the specific requirements of the various tyre parts and thus based on optimized combinations of rubbers and other ingredients. 

Tires are the largest consumer of synthetic rubber. Automotive components and tires together account for nearly 70% of synthetic rubber consumption. Additional consumption is found in miscellaneous mechanical goods, plastic composites, and construction applications such as roofing, vire and cable covers, and adhesives. For SBR specifically, passenger tire production consumes approximately 50%, truck tires and tire retreading a further 20%, and the balance is in specialty tires, automotive and non-automotive components. Polybutadiene consumption is similar to SBR with tires accounting for nearly 75% of total polymer production. 

Sinopec, China s state-owned petrochemical and polymer company, is increasing synthetic rubber capacity across the board, including butyls, SBRs, nitrile, and chloroprene. Sinopec is starting polyiso-prene and EPR production, although the company did not produce polyisoprene or EPR prior to 1999. Total synthetic rubber capacity will be 1.15 million metric tons/y by 2000. China s synthetic rubber consumption is forecast by the company to be almost 7 million metric tons/y in 2000. ... 

Expressed as percentages of total annual synthetic rubber consumption worldwide, EPM and EPDM have increased from 0% in 1964 to 8.9% in 2000, as shown in Table 4. EPM and EPDM still show a steady growth over the years. 

In the 1990s, natural rubber consumption exceeded 4 million metric tons while synthetic rubber consumption exceeded 7 million metric tons. Among synthetic rubbers the largest production was of SBR, polybutadiene, and ethylene-propylene. Production has been continually increasing in the 2000s. 

SBR s share of total synthetic rubber consumption declined in the 1980s and 1990s as radial tires, which use less SBR, replaced belt tires. Currently, there is an increased interest in developing low rolling resistance tires for improved gas mileage and reduced emissions and this should keep a good balance for increased SBR demand [5]. 

Acrylic rubbers, as is the case for most specialty elastomers, are characterized by higher price and smaller consumption compared to general-purpose mbbers. The total mbber consumption ia 1991 was forecast (55) at 15.7 million t worldwide with a 66% share for synthetic elastomers (10.4 x 10 t). Acryhc elastomers consumption, as a minor amount of the total synthetic mbbers consumption, can hardly be estimated. As a first approximation, the ACM consumption is estimated to be 7000 t distributed among the United States, Western Europe, and Japan/Far East, where automotive production is significantly present. 

In 1994, the worldwide consumption of rubber was approximately 14.5 million tons a year, of which about 40% consisted of natural rubber. Natural rubber is produced as latex by tropical rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis). It is processed locally and therefore the quality of natural rubber fluctuates remarkably [ 140]. Due to increasing demand for rubbers, combined with a decreasing production capacity in Asia and a vast increase in labor costs, the price of natural rubber is still rising sharply. In 1990-1994, the average price of natural rubber was about 0.38 /lb, while in 1996 it was already over 0.80 /lb. The remaining 60% of the articles were manufactured from synthetic petroleum-based rubbers such as isoprene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, chloroprene rubber and polyurethanes. The quality of synthetic rubbers is constant, and their price varies between 2 and 5 US per kilogram [137-140]. 

Table 18.1 U.S. Production of Synthetic Elastomers, Consumption of Natural Rubber...

By far the largest selling elastomers are SBR and natural rubber. SBR at 1.93 billion Ib/yr accounts for about 35% of the U.S. synthetic rubber market and 25% of the total rubber market. The U.S. imports about 2.2 billion lb of natural rubber per year. A distant third is polybutadiene at 1.33 billion lb. In 1940 natural rubber had 99.6% of the U.S. market. Today it has only 29%. In 1950 synthetic elastomer consumption passed natural rubber use in the U.S. Since then it has been a battle between the leading synthetic, SBR, and the natural product. It is apparent that these two polymers are veiy important. Table 18.2 summarizes and compares them by their properties. 

The margins are partly supported by a sustainable share of imports, allowing for import parity pricing. In 2003, approximately 21 percent of China s total chemicals consumption was covered by net imports, mainly commodities. For example, at least half of the consumption of synthetic rubber (69%), plastics (55%), and organic chemicals (50%) was met by net imports. Even at production growth forecasts of 9.6 percent p.a., Chinese capacity levels will not meet demand in the foreseeable future and the country is expected to remain a chemicals net importer beyond 2020. 

Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) accounts for about 40 percent of the total consumption of butadiene. SBR is the material used to make most automobile tires. Other synthetic rubbers, such as polybutadiene and poly-chloroprene (neoprene), make up another 25 percent of the butadiene market. 

The 2003 synthetic rubber capacity by type is presented in Table 16.1, and Table 16.2 lists the worldwide rubber consumption forecast by type for 2008. 

Next to SBR, polybutadiene is the largest volume synthetic rubber produced. Consumption was approximately 2,018,000 metric tons in 2003.37... 

The best known products of macromolecular chemistry are plastics, synthetic rubber and fibres. The world average per capita consumption of plastics exceeded 8 kg (44 kg in the USA and in Japan). The production of synthetic fibres and rubber exceeds the production of the natural materials. A large proportion of these substances is produced by polymerization. 

Adapted from Kirschner (1995), Chem. Mkt. Reporter (1997), Plastics Tech. (1997). With one exception, the production data figures are for 1995. Polyurethane production is for 1994. The energy consumption data are from Lipinsky and Wesson (1995). The unit cost data for the synthetic rubbers are from the Chem. Mkt. Reporter staff and are for mid-1997. 

Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) is a random polymer made from butadiene and styrene monomers. It possesses good mechanical property, processing behavior, and can be used like natural rubber. Moreover, some properties such as wear and heat resistance, aging, and curing property are even better than in natural rubber. Styrene-butadiene rubber was the first major synthetic rubber to be produced commercially. Now it has become the most common rubber with the largest production and consumption in the synthetic rubber industry. It can be widely used in tire, adhesive tape, cables, medical instruments, and all kinds of rubberware. 

International Rubber Study Group, Brettenham House, 5-6, Lancaster Place, Strand, London, Rubber Statistical Bulletin, monthly, 1946-. U. S. and world historical data on production, consumption, and supply of natural and synthetic rubber. 

Rubber Manufacturers Association, 444 Madison Ave., New York, U.S,A. Rubber Statistics, monthly with annual summaries. Production, consumption, and supply of natural and synthetic rubber and shipments of rubber tires and casings. 

Department of Commerce, Rubber—Annual Report by the Secretary of Commerce, annual, 1948-. Monthly and annual data on natural and synthetic rubber production, consumption, supply, and stocks. Also data on manufacture of tires. 

Department of Commerce, Rubber—Industry Report, monthly, March 1947-September 1950. Production, consumption, and stocks of natural, reclaimed, and synthetic rubber. 

The Japan Synthetic Rubber Co. installation at Chiba illustrates costs of a second type of application. During its first 10 mo of operation, its operating costs were broken down as follows 50% for interest and carrying charges, 15% for steam, 10% for electric power, 10% for caustic soda consumption, and 15% for labor and miscellaneous costs. 

Styrene—butadiene elastomers, emulsion and solution types combined, are reported to be the largest-volume synthetic rubber, with 28.7% of the wodd consumption of all synthetic mbber in 1994 (38). This percentage has decreased steadily since 1973 when SBR s market share was 57% (39). The decline has been attributed to the switch to radial tires (longer milage) and the growth of other synthetic polymers, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, and polystyrene. Since 1985, production of SBR has been flat (Table 3). 

World-wide production and consumption in 1992 ca. 5400000 tN.r. were produced world-wide,3975000 t by the major producing countries Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia, exact data are given in Lit.. Information on the production and use of N. r. (as well as synthetic rubbers) is provided by the International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers (IISRP) and published regularly in specialist journals. 

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