LANXESS: Sealing, Damping and Transporting   
     - 100 Years of Synthetic Rubber

The fascinating history of synthetic rubber started with an idea patented 100 years ago - and is far from over yet. In 1909, the chemist Fritz Hofmann succeeded in producing the elastic substance methyl-isoprene, and thus paved the way for the development of synthetic rubber. Hofmann conducted his research at the laboratories of "Elberfelder Farbenfabriken vorm. Friedr. Bayer & Co." - a company whose tradition is continued today by the specialty chemicals group LANXESS.  
    Rubber has become an indispensable part of the modern world. Wherever machines or engines have to be provided with bearings, forces transferred, liquids transported and containers sealed, there is no getting around this material. However, today's high-performance elastomers have little in common with the materials obtained from natural rubber. Today, LANXESS is not just one of the world's biggest producers of synthetic rubber - with 100 years of experience in synthetic elastomers, the company is also a technology leader and a driving force in the industry.  
   The group would not get very far today with products based on natural rubber. The technology and the requirements that rubber has to satisfy have been revolutionized since the early days when the first coats, boots, inkpots and even combs were made of (hard) vulcanized natural rubber. Higher temperatures, faster machines and ever more stringent demands on energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness are compelling engineers to opt increasingly for special grades. Even low-cost, unremarkable rubber parts play a key role in the cost-effectiveness of expensive capital goods today. For example, longer-lasting products, such as extremely robust seals and bearings, help cut maintenance costs and thus secure profitability.

Synthetic rubber overtook its natural ancestors long ago

In 2007, some 13.6 million tons of synthetic rubber were used worldwide, compared to around "only" 9.7 million tons of natural rubber. Experts expect that the share of synthetic rubbers will continue to grow faster than natural rubber as a result of its superior properties.
   Today, LANXESS produces more than 60 different grades of synthetic rubber designed for a diverse range of applications, making it the manufacturer with the broadest product range.

Innovations for the tire sector

Based on the know-how of Fritz Hofmann, the rubber experts at LANXESS have made a major contribution to the almost revolutionary improvements in vehicle tires in terms of performance, safety and energy efficiency. SSBR rubbers have enabled the tire sector to boost the wet grip of its products, for example. Wear and rolling resistance have also been improved by replacing the carbon black filler used in the past with silica. Neodymium rubbers such as Buna CB and Taktene from LANXESS - in practice the modern successors of the first Buna rubbers - help cut rolling resistance and thus save fuel. The chain molecules of these elastomers exhibit a very linear structure, which means that they are much more elastic than many other tire rubbers.

High-tech innovations for the rubbers of the future

LANXESS has recently also started manufacturing ESBR rubbers with particle sizes down to the nano range. Tires with Nanopren nanoparticles added to their tread mix have much better dry road grip and demonstrate improved wear resistance with no detrimental effect on rolling resistance or wet grip.

Application examples

In high-speed letter sorting machines, conveyor belts made of carboxylated nitrile rubber ensure an uninterrupted flow of materials.  This product is ideal for special-purpose rubber grades boasting excellent resistance to abrasion and dynamic loading, and a hydrophilic surface that grips paper extremely well.
   Ethylene vinylacetate copolymers (EVM) from the Levapren rubber series from LANXESS are ideal for the production of solar modules. During assembly, silicon wafers are embedded into films made of the transparent rubber Levamelt and secured to the substrate. This simplifies a number of complex processes involved in aligning and securing cells.
   Only two manufacturers worldwide have the technological know-how to produce hydrogenated nitrile rubber. LANXESS markets more than 50 different grades of this elastomer under the brand name Therban. Therban is oil-resistant like nitrile rubber but, thanks to a complex chemical modification, is much more resistant to aging. This makes it ideal for rubber products that are subject to particularly high mechanical loads. It also has a higher service life and helps cut machine downtimes. This makes it possible, for example, to extend maintenance intervals, thus cutting operating costs. Therban is used, for instance, in drill heads for oil exploration and in components subject to high dynamic stresses, such as toothed belts in car engines. The latest Therban grades with increased acrylonitrile content offer improved resistance to aggressive media, making it the material of choice for hoses and seals used in biofuel applications.
   Synthetic rubber is used today as the basis for a wide range of high-performance rubber products and it will continue to be used to unlock the potential of new opportunities and applications in the future.
   LANXESS is a leader in specialty chemicals with sales in 2007 of EUR 6.61 billion and currently around 15,100 employees in 21 countries. The company has operations at 44 sites worldwide. LANXESS's core business comprises the development, manufacture and marketing of plastics, rubber, intermediates and specialty chemicals.