Expobor 2020

There are currently in the global market over 40 thousand articles made of natural rubber. The raw material is present in over 400 medical devices. Brazil is one of the world’s greatest latex producers and the 5th greatest consumer worldwide. The growth in both natural and synthetic rubber consumption is closely associated with the behavior of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Thus, generally speaking, the more the economy grows, the higher the rubber consumption. The investments of the tire industries and the growing vehicle production and export have contributed to the increase in the demand of rubber and other raw materials. Given its molecular structure and high molecular mass, the natural rubber is resilient, elastic, plastic, as well as wear and tear and impact-resistant. It is also an electrical insulator and gas- and water-proof, properties that are not observed in synthetic polymers. In Brazil, supply and demand are far from each other since the mid-twentieth century. The production and consumption curves are more and more apart from each other.As a result, Braskem, which is one of the leading companies in the rubber sector, has launched Braskem Unilene®, a line of hydrocarbon resins that embodies technical and economic advantages.

Part of various stages in the shoemaking process, from the preparation of the surface to the final assembly, such line is compatible with most solvents and polymers. The product improves shine, adherence and drying properties of traffic marking paints. Unilene® consists of an additive that improves the rubber performance, helps the tire adhere to the wet floor and reduces the rolling resistance. In truck tires, the resin is also used in retreading. In the city of Caxias do Sul, state of Rio Grande do Sul, a law proposed by councilor Renato Oliveira (PCdoB) and passed by the City Council enables the adoption of used tires to compose the asphalt for paving roads of the city, which suggests that 15% of crumb rubber may be used as asphalt binder. The city follows the example of other cities that will begin to prepare the asphalt sooner or later. According to the Construction secretary of the city, Leandro Pavan, during a period where there is little demand, only discarded tires (around 500 vehicles) of the city would be enough already for preparing the asphalt. Whenever there is the need for more raw material, rubber could be obtained from the private initiative. Currently, the Construction Department pays to discard used tires. Such solutions demonstrate that the sector might evolve.