The dawn of the rubber age
The fact that millions upon millions of products today benefit from the positive properties of rubber is thanks to the discoveries of the Maya. As early as the 3rd century AD, the indigenous peoples of Central America were using rubber – or at least a primitive form of it. Rubber actually originates naturally from the sap of the rubber tree. Extracted from the incised bark and dried, it forms a sticky, rubber-like mass.
How was rubber used in the past?
The material was first used in the Flummi, a bouncing toy ball. The Aztec ruler Montezuma is even said to have owned entire playhouses full of rubber balls! But soon its practical uses were discovered: to make fabrics water-repellent, to seal boats, or to catch birds on sticky branches. Incidentally: even Columbus reported on the material in 1495 – but failed to recognise its potential.
The path to modernity
It was not until 1743 that the naturalist Condamine had the idea of bringing rubber to Europe. However, during the long sea voyage, it hardened and thus became unusable. The solution – or the solvent – made the material malleable again several decades later, even after transport. Now rubber shoes, hot-air balloons and raincoats could also be produced in Europe. But it was still far from perfect. In very cold or hot temperatures, the rubber became either brittle or sticky. This problem was only solved through vulcanisation. Charles Goodyear invented this process by heating the rubber with sulphur. Now the material was low-odour, more elastic and suitable for use in all weathers.
The rise of rubber is this bloody
With the mass production of cars at the beginning of the 20th century, the demand for car tyres also rose. Their main component? Rubber! At that time, however, the rubber tree could only be grown in tropical regions, particularly in Brazil or the Congo. In the wake of colonialism, the growing regions were exploited. Harsh slave labour and bloody battles over plantations increased as demand rose. Things could not go on like this.
How rubber became plastic
In 1909, the German chemist Fritz Hofmann developed a process for the synthetic production of rubber – formerly from coal and lime, today from petroleum. The term “rubber” was originally used as a synonym for natural rubber; today, rubber is a versatile material belonging to the elastomer group. In the modern world, rubber has become an indispensable material. There is hardly any area of technology in which the flexible material rubber does not play a role. The term “rubber”, which is sometimes somewhat underestimated, encompasses countless grades such as NR (natural rubber), EPDM, NBR, CR (neoprene), etc. The properties and compounds of rubber can be tailored to the specific application. Vibraplast AG offers a wide range of rubber products such as moulded rubber parts, rubber profiles, rubber seals, rubber sheets, etc. Further information can be found in our online shop www.vibraplast.ch.
