SBR is the abbreviation of Polymerized Styrene Butadiene Rubber. Styrene butadiene rubber is the backbone product of the rubber industry. It is the largest variety of general synthetic rubber and one of the earliest varieties of synthetic rubber to realize industrial production.
Its physical structure performance, processing performance and product use performance are close to those of natural rubber. Some properties such as wear resistance, heat resistance, aging resistance and curing speed are better than those of natural rubber. It can be used together with natural rubber and a variety of synthetic rubbers. It is widely used in the production of tires, tapes, rubber hoses, wires and cables, medical appliances and various rubber products. It is the largest variety of general-purpose synthetic rubber, It is also one of the earliest rubber varieties to realize industrial production.
         According to the polymerization process, styrene butadiene rubber can be divided into emulsion styrene butadiene rubber (ESBR) and solution styrene butadiene rubber (SSBR). Compared with the solution polymerized styrene butadiene rubber process, the emulsion polymerized styrene butadiene rubber process has more advantages in cost saving. About 75% of the global styrene butadiene rubber plant capacity is based on the emulsion polymerized styrene butadiene rubber process. Emulsion polymerized styrene butadiene rubber has good comprehensive performance, mature process and wide application, and its production capacity, output and consumption are in the first place among styrene butadiene rubber.
Oil extended styrene butadiene rubber has the advantages of good processability, low heat generation, good low-temperature flexibility, etc. When used in tread rubber, it has excellent traction performance and abrasion resistance. After oil extended, the rubber has enhanced plasticity, is easy to mix, and can reduce costs and increase output.
Emulsion styrene butadiene rubber ESBR
      Emulsion polymerized styrene butadiene rubber (ESBR) is composed of butadiene and styrene as the main monomers, together with other auxiliary chemical raw materials. Under certain process conditions, styrene butadiene rubber slurry is first generated by lotion polymerization. After the unconverted monomer in the slurry is removed, the product rubber is produced by coagulation, drying and other processes.
      Production status of domestic emulsion styrene butadiene rubber (ESBR)
      There are 6 sets of ESBR production units in China.
The first unit was built and put into operation by PetroChina Lanzhou Petrochemical Company in 1960, with a production capacity of 5. 50000 tons. In 2008, Lanzhou Petrochemical added two production lines using proprietary intellectual property technology, increasing the production capacity of 100000 tons of environment-friendly ESBR;
The second unit was built and put into operation by PetroChina Jilin Petrochemical Company in 1982. The low-temperature lotion polymerization technology introduced from Japan JSR Company in 1976 is adopted. At present, the annual production capacity of ESBR of the unit has reached 160000 tons;
The third unit was introduced by Sinopec Qilu Petrochemical Company in 1978 with complete sets of technology and equipment from Rion Company of Japan. It was completed and put into operation in 1987. At present, the annual production capacity has reached 130000 tons. In 2008, Qilu Petrochemical Company is expanding two production lines, which will increase the annual production capacity by 100000 tons. After being put into operation in 2009, the total capacity of Qilu Petrochemical ESBR will reach 230000 tons;
The fourth ESBR production unit was built and put into operation by Shenhua Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. in 1998, with an initial annual production capacity of 100000 tons. Through further potential tapping and transformation, the annual production capacity of this unit has reached 180000 tons;
      The fifth set is the 100000 t ESBR unit put into production by Nanjing Yangzi Petrochemical Jinpu Rubber Co., Ltd. in June 2007;
The sixth is Bridgestone's new 50,000 t/a tESBR production plant in Huizhou, Guangdong, which was built and put into operation in 2008 using the technology of Japan's JSR Company. In 2007, the total domestic ESBR production capacity was 59. 50000 tons, reaching 77 in 2008. 50,000 tons, which will reach 87 tons in 2009. 50000 tons.
The production technology of emulsion styrene butadiene rubber was gradually mature in the late 1920s. Since then, the process has been continuously improved and developed towards the large-scale plant. The automation control level has been significantly improved and has reached a fairly advanced level.
At present, emulsion styrene butadiene rubber has made great progress in improving monomer conversion rate of polymerization, saving energy and reducing consumption, and has also made breakthrough in solving the contradiction between rolling resistance and wet skid resistance of emulsion styrene butadiene rubber, optimizing product performance, and adapting to market demand.

      Through the development of new functional initiators, efficient and environment-friendly new additives, the introduction of the third monomer, and the improvement of the content of bound styrene and other technologies, the product performance of emulsion styrene butadiene rubber has been optimized. The development of environmentally friendly emulsion styrene butadiene rubber has also made significant progress through the use of environmentally friendly additives, environmentally friendly filler oil, etc.
Solution polymerized styrene butadiene rubber SSBR
Solution polymerized styrene butadiene rubber (SSBR) is a kind of polymer glue prepared by anionic polymerization with butadiene and styrene as the main monomers and organic lithium compounds as initiators in hydrocarbon solvents. After adding antioxidants and other additives, the product glue is produced through coagulation, drying and other processes. Solution polymerized styrene butadiene rubber was first industrialized by Phillips Company in 1964, and Firestone Company also industrialized solution polymerized styrene butadiene rubber in 1969. At the same time, Shell Chemical also successfully introduced block copolymers prepared with lithium based catalysts, and achieved industrial production.
      According to the polymerization mode, the polymerization process of solution polymerized styrene butadiene rubber mainly includes batch polymerization process and continuous polymerization process. According to the solvent recovery method, it can be divided into direct drying method and wet (stripping) drying method. The intermittent process has great flexibility in operation and flexible switching between different brands. Compared with batch process, continuous process has low material consumption and energy consumption, high production efficiency and stable product quality, which represents the development direction of lithium polymer synthesis process such as solution polymerized styrene butadiene rubber. With the increasing market demand of solution polymerized styrene butadiene rubber, continuous polymerization technology with more economic and technical advantages will become more and more important in the production of solution polymerized styrene butadiene rubber.
      Solution polymerized styrene butadiene rubber (SSBR) has the advantages of wear resistance, cold resistance, low heat generation, low shrinkage, good color, low ash content, high purity and fast curing speed. It also has the advantages of low rolling resistance, excellent wet skid resistance and wear resistance. It is widely used in the tire industry, especially in high-performance tires such as green tires, anti-skid tires, and ultra-light tires. In addition, because solution polymerized styrene butadiene rubber has the advantages of good touch, good weather resistance, good resilience and small permanent deformation, it can be used to make raincoats, felt cloth, wind jackets, air cushion beds, etc. It can also be used to make sponge materials with uniform foam and dense structure. Solution polymerized styrene butadiene rubber is also widely used in the footwear industry because of its good roller operability, calendering, wear resistance and high filling performance. Shoes made with it have the characteristics of bright color, good touch, smooth surface, clear pattern, difficult to walk and moderate hardness.