The Difference between Styrene-Butadiene Rubber and Styrene-Butadiene Latex
Often the terms Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SB Rubber) and Styrene-Butadiene Latex (SB Latex) are used interchangeably. However, they are two different materials that are used in different ways on a variety of products. How SB Rubber and SB Latex are alike is that they are both synthetic polymers and they are usually created by a process called emulsion polymerization. They also share the same two components – an organic compound named styrene and an industrial gas called butadiene. Styrene is produced when benzene and ethylene react with each other at room temperature. It’s a colorless oily liquid and it has a sweet odor. While butadiene is a byproduct of the hydrocarbon ethylene and it is a colorless gas that smells faintly like gasoline. Another way that SB Rubber and SB Latex are the same is that they both share several benefits over natural rubber. For example, they are usually less expensive,…