Worldwide rubber consumption

TABLE 16.2 Worldwide Rubber Consumption Forecast, 2008 (Metric Tons)... 

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. 

By the mid-1980s, the commercial use of recycled rubber that had been produced by the traditional methods of reclaiming was extremely small, and reclaimed rubber represented less than 1 % of worldwide rubber consumption. The effect that new environmental regulations had had on the reclaim industry was a major contributor to this decline [1]. 

Table 4. Worldwide Long-Term New Rubber Consumption by Elastomer Type, 10 t...

Table 4. Worldwide EPM and EPDM Consumption as Percentage of Total 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. 

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. 

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. 

The U.S. accounts for almost one-quarter of worldwide slab zinc consumption and is the world s single largest market. About 80% of zinc is used in metal form, and the rest is used in compound form. In total, 90% of zinc metal is used for galvanizing steel (a form of corrosion protection) and for alloys, and is used in a wide variety of materials in the automotive, construction, electrical, and machinery sectors of the economy. Zinc compound use also varies widely, but is mainly found in the agricultural, chemical, paint, pharmaceutical, and rubber sectors of the economy. 

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]. 

Worldwide consumption of acrylonitrile increased 52% between 1976 and 1988, from 2500 to 3800 thousand tonnes per year. The trend in consumption over this time period is shown in Table 2 for the principal uses of acrylonitrile acrylic fibre, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) resins, adiponitrile, nitrile rubbers, elastomers and styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) resins. Since the 1960s, acrylic fibres have remained the major outlet for acrylonitrile production in the United States and especially in Japan and the Far East. Acrylic fibres always contain a comonomer. Fibres containing 85 wt% or more acrylonitrile are usually referred to as acrylics and fibres containing 35-85 wt% acrylonitrile are called modacrylics . Acrylic fibres are used primarily for the manufacture of apparel, including sweaters, fleece wear and sportswear, and home furnishings, including carpets, upholstery and draperies (Langvardt, 1985 Brazdil, 1991). 

Worldwide production capacity of liquid polysulfides is about 33,000 t with manufacturing sites in the United States, Japan, and Germany. Total consumption is about 28,600 t. Approximately 50% is for insulating glass sealants, 30% for construction applications, and 10% for aircraft sealants. In addition, 909 t of the solid polysulfide rubbers are sold each year. 

Global consumption of thermoplastic rubbers of all types is estimated at about 600,000 t/yr (51). Of this, 42% was estimated to be consumed in the United States, 39% in Western Europe, and 19% in Japan. At present, the worldwide market is estimated to be divided as follows styrenic block copolymers, 48% hard polymer/elastomer combinations, 26% thermoplastic polyurethanes, 12% thermoplastic polyesters, 4% and others, 9%. The three largest end uses were transportation, 23% footwear, 18% and adhesives, coatings, etc, 16%. The ranges of the hardness values, prices, and specific gravities of commercially available materials are given in Table 4. 

Nitrile rubber was invented at about the same time as SBR in the German program to find substitutes for natural rubber.56 These rubbers are copolymers of acrylonitrile-butadiene, containing from 15 to 40 percent acrylonitrile. The major applications for this material are in areas requiring oil and solvent resistance. The estimated worldwide consumption in 2003 was 303,000 metric tons.57... 

By far the largest quantity of asbestos is utilized in asbestos composites for reinforcing inorganic (cement) and organic (PVC, rubber, duromers) binders. Whereas the consumption in Western industrialized countries has declined steeply (95% in the USA banned in FRG since 1993), more than 2 10 t of asbestos was processed worldwide in 1997 mainly to building materials made from asbestos cement, which were utilized in Asian and Eastern European countries and in developing countries. 

Ingredients and Machinery for Rubber, published annually by Bill Communications, Inc. Currently, the PVC/nitrile rubber blends worldwide consumption is estimated to be 30 kton/y. 

Rubber is an important worldwide commodity. The worldwide consumption of rubber in 2003 was about 18.97 million metric tones. This crmsumption can be divided into two major categories, natural and synthetic. The synthetic rubber category is about 58.6% of the total. Of the diverse markets that utilize rubber, approximately 50% of the total rubber consumptimi goes into tire production. 

Worldwide consumption of synthetic rubber can be expected to be about 11 million metric tons in 2000 and about 12 million metric tons in 2003, based on earlier reporting (1999) by the International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers. About 24% is consumed in North America. Estimates depend on which synthetic rubbers are included and reporting sources from world regions. 

Worldwide consumption of synthetic rubber is about 11-12 million metric tons. New synthetic rubber polymerization technologies replacing older plants and increasing world consumption are reasons for new production facilities being built. See also specific synthetic rubbers. 

Mineral fillers are a vital and significant part of the world s polymer industry. Consumption in rubber and plastics is currently estimated to be over 2.5 million tonnes per year in Western Europe. In the first edition of this book growth projections were very bullish and use in plastics especially was projected to grow at 8-12% per year. On a worldwide basis, it was predicted that 20 Mt per year would be used in polymers by the year 2000 [1]. However, local and world economies have suffered several blows since 1997 and this volume has not been reached. As a best guestimate the authors believe that filler use in polymers currently is about 15 Mt per year. 

Styrene block copolymers are the most widely used TPEs, accounting for close to 45 percent of total TPE consumption worldwide at the close of the twentieth century. They are characterized by their molecular architecture, which has a hard thermoplastic segment (block) and a soft elastomeric segment (block) (see Fig. 3.2). Styrenic TPEs are usually styrene butadiene styrene (SBS), styrene ethylene/butylene styrene (SEES), and styrene isoprene styrene (SIS). Styrenic TPEs usually have about 30 to 40 percent (wt) bound styrene certain grades have a higher bound styrene content. The polystyrene endblocks create a network of reversible physical cross links that allow thermoplasticity for melt processing or solvation. With cooling or solvent evaporation, the polystyrene domains reform and harden, and the rubber network is fixed in position. ... 

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