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Rubber vs. Plastic
In the past, people have seen the progress of technology. From the simple usage of wood and cement to the invention of metal, mankind has really made great progress to become what they are today. Along with this progress are some changes to their lifestyle. These changes were brought about by the materials surrounding them, and two materials that revolutionized man’s life today is rubber and plastic.
It is quite easy to differentiate between the two. By simply looking at each material, one can immediately tell that a particular thing, or object, is made of rubber and not plastic, or vice versa. The only confusion between the two is when the term polymer is used. Yes, polymer as a term that greatly denotes plastics, but nonetheless, this term also describes the characteristic of rubbers. Although rubber is more of the specific elastomer (a viscous or elastic variation of polymers), it is still considered to be a polymer.
Both plastics and rubbers are classified in many different manners. In fact, for plastics alone there are more than 10,000 different types. Some are grouped according to type, quality, design or to the material(s) used to make the rubber or plastic. This is why both materials have become very diverse in terms of their usage. Plastics are used in almost every aspect, like clothing, food, beverages, construction and many others. Its major classes are the more common thermoplastics (plastics that will melt when enough heat is applied) and the thermosets (can only melt or take form once, because they remain solid after they have been solidified). Rubbers are more commonly used in vehicle tires, industrial purposes and basic to advanced warfare.
It is also important to denote that it was around the year 1976 when plastic become widely used around the world. Plastics are basically made from natural gas and petroleum. Both of these raw materials are nonrenewable. Hence, recycling plastics is the immediate solution to the growing demand for the said material. On the contrary, rubber can be either synthetic or natural. Synthetic means that the rubber is made from crude oil, which also happens to be another nonrenewable resource. Nevertheless, the other type (natural rubber) can be harnessed from trees (i.e. rubber tree), in which a substance (latex) is then extracted.
Although both are polymers, plastic and rubber differ because:
1. Rubber can be considered elastomers, and that’s why when compared to plastics, they are naturally more elastic.
2. Synthetic rubber is derived from crude oil, whereas synthetic plastic is made of petroleum and natural gas.
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Plastic, rubber, synthetics—they’re all the same, and it really doesn’t matter which you use, yes?
No. The production materials you use impact your entire production line, from concept to finished product. Your business will find financial and conceptual benefit if you switch to more sustainable manufacturing solutions.
What’s the difference between rubber and plastic, and why should you choose rubber compounding for your production needs?
Many manufacturers default to plastic because it’s easy to source. Most plastics are synthetic polymers derived from petroleum. Heavy crude oil is broken down and separated, combined with hydrocarbons and other chemicals, and finalized to create the plastic products we’re familiar with today.
Global plastic production from 1950 to 2019 churned out more than 359 million metric tons. The market value of all of that plastic is projected to reach $721 billion by the year 2025.
Most plastics are not elastic at room temperature due to their high glass transition temperatures (Tg). Tg is the glassy-elastic transformation threshold temperature. Below it, polymer chains are frozen and cannot mobilize, which makes a plastic rigid. An example is a polystyrene, whose Tg is about 90C. it is a rigid plastic at room temperature. If the temperature is above the Tg, polymer chains are unfrozen and are mobile, which rends the plastic soft and elastic. An example is polyethylene, whose Tg is about -125C. it is therefore an elastic material at room temperature.
Most rubbers have very low Tg, in the range of -50 to -100C. They are elastic at room temperature.
Of course, it is insufficient, just to select plastic or rubber for your application based on its Tg, there are other factors one needs to consider. Such as physical and chemical properties under service conditions. For plastics without being crosslinked, or vulcanized, or 3D networked, even they are elastic at room temperature, they will have very poor elastic retention, or long-term elasticity, under most service conditions. This makes plastics not suitable for applications where elastic retention is needed.
Natural latex rubber compounds, like the ones we use at Airboss Rubber Solutions, are sustainable alternatives to plastics. Natural latex rubber is pulled straight from nature’s more than 2,500 different rubber-producing plants.
The long-chain polymers that form natural latex (elastomers) stretch, flex, and give rubber its unique properties.
Unlike its plastic counterparts, latex rubber is renewable and sustainable. Latex rubber compounding—the process of adding specific chemicals and additives—allows for complex customization for a diverse range of applications.
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