- Date 2024-05-31
Evolution of synthetic rubber: bio-based raw materials and new types of rubber
Until now, the raw materials required for the production of synthetic rubber – the monomers butadiene, styrene and isoprene – have been produced almost exclusively on the basis of petroleum. Under the leadership of the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP, four Fraunhofer Institutes are now developing alternative, bio-based raw material sources for synthetic rubber. The three-year project started in April 2024.
Almost 15 million tons of synthetic rubber are produced every year - and the trend is rising. At around 70 percent, car tires represent the main market for synthetic rubber. With the depletion of fossil resources and the urgent need to reduce CO2 emissions, there is an enormous need for sustainable alternatives for rubber producers worldwide. In addition, the aim of society to make mobility more sustainable is also placing new demands on car tires. These require advanced materials, design and production technologies.
Sustainable raw materials and innovative polymer structures
In order to meet these challenges, the team is developing bio-based raw material sources for synthetic rubber as part of the project "Sustainable biomonomers for synthetic rubbers with application-related adjustable viscoelastic properties NaMoKau".
"In the project, we are producing the rubber monomers butadiene, isoprene and dimethylbutadiene from bio-based alcohols," explains Dr. Barbara Zeidler-Fandrich from Fraunhofer UMSICHT (Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology).
"The production of sustainable dimethylbutadiene in particular is an outstanding feature of the project, as this monomer has not been available on a technical scale to date and is therefore not used in rubber production," adds NaMoKau project manager Dr. Ulrich Wendler, polymer expert at the Fraunhofer IAP.
Further information: Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP, Press release / April 03, 2024