Styrene Butadiene
ASTM D1418, ISO 1629 Designation: SBR
ASTM D2000, SAE J200 Type/Class: AA, BA
Standard Color: Black
Trade Names: Too numerous to list
Relative Cost: Low
General Temperature Range: -50° to +200° F
Also known as Buna S, or GR-S (Government Rubber-Styrene), styrene butadiene is a copolymer of styrene and butadiene. Though SBR’s low strength properties require the addition of reinforcing agents to make the compound stronger, SBR was widely used as the synthetic substitute for natural rubber during World War II. Like natural rubber, SBR is non oil-resistant.
SBR’s use since WWII has sharply declined, though it is still used in automobile tire production and in assorted molded rubber goods. SBR is unsuitable for some applications because the double bond in the polymer backbone invites attack by oxygen, ozone, and UV light.
SBR performs well in:
- Automotive brake systems
SBR does not perform well in:
- Aromatic, aliphatic, or halogenated hydrocarbons
- Petroleum oils
- Strong acids
