Historical Background

• Synthetic rubber invented 1909
• Technology languished for decades
• World War II natural rubber shortage spurred development
• More resistant to temperature extremes than natural rubber
• Reinvented tire manufacturing for all vehicle types
• Used in garden hoses, golf balls, various products

Manufacturing Facility Overview

• Plant length: 437 yards
• Dozen+ enormous storage tanks for raw materials
• Several reactor units
• Computerized process monitored by control room operator
  • Multiple computer screens
  • Live camera images

Raw Materials & Purification

• Petroleum-based liquid: butadiene
• Solvent: hexane
• Materials piped through columns to boil off residual water
• Purification process essential for quality

Chemical Reaction Process

• Combine purified butadiene and hexane
• Add catalyst to trigger chemical reaction
• Mix becomes polybutadiene (synthetic rubber type for tires)
• Second catalyst stops reaction at precise moment
• White milky liquid output = synthetic rubber

Customization & Additives

• Chemicals pumped in to tailor rubber for specific use (tires)
• Additives increase traction and improve wear
• Mechanized whisk stirs additives
• Piped into insulated storage tanks
• Internal pumps mix constantly to prevent settling

Coagulation Process

• Liquid synthetic rubber resembles vanilla milkshake
• Coagulation unit functions like big kettle
• Inputs: liquid rubber, solvent mixture, water
• Solvent boiled off, rubber coagulates into bean-sized crumbs
• Water remains due to higher boiling point
• Mix bounces in "crumb tank" until ready for processing

Water Removal & Drying

• Mix pumped into rotary sieve (spinning drains water)
• Additional water added to cool rubber crumbs
• Rubber/water mix onto vibrating sieve conveyor
• Water drains through perforations as crumbs bounce
• Result: synthetic rubber like wet snow

Quality Control & Testing

• Laboratory analysis using infrared light beam
• Microstructure examination
• Production continues only if acceptable

Final Processing

• Screw mechanism presses wet crumbs against metal plate
• Removes additional moisture
• Vibrating conveyor removes remaining droplets
• Quivering spiral conveyor with hot air drying
• Rubber travels upward while hot air pipes in from side

Packaging & Distribution

• Mostly dry but sticky crumbs enter baler machine
• Pressure compresses crumbs into big bales
• Quality control inspector examines for imperfections
• Approved bales proceed to packaging station
• Plastic film curtain with heat sealing
• Final product ready for tire manufacturing

Product Characteristics

• Chemical creation similar to natural rubber
• Can be melted and shaped into various products
• Destined for tire production