Butadiene rubber (BR) is the second most important rubber after styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR). BR is formed by the polymerisation of butadiene. Products made of BR offer very high resilience, good insulation properties, abrasion resistance, and remain flexible at low temperatures.
According to the most recent study by the market research institute Ceresana, worldwide consumption for this elastomer type amounts to about 3.44 million tonnes/year. The region Asia-Pacific accounted for over 57% of global revenues, followed at a large distance by North America and Western Europe. Ceresana expects the revenues generated with BR to increase by, on average, 4.1% per year until 2025.
The dominating sales market for BR is the segment automotive tyres with a share of about 73% of total global demand. Besides SBR, natural rubber, and carbon black, BR is the most important ingredient for tire manufacture. In 2025, tyre manufacture is likely to consume 2.9 million tonnes of BR. However, the end use market with the highest percentage growth, 2.2% per year on average, is the modification of engineering plastics. The mechanical properties of high impact polystyrene (HIPS) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) in particular can be improved by BR.
Several industrial sectors, ranging from the chemical industry, engineering, construction, leisure products, and sports goods to electrics and electronics, require BR for a variety of products. In 2017, about 433,000 tonnes was utilised worldwide in this sector.