SYNTHETIC RUBBER

Evening Star, Issue 24294, 8 September 1942, Page 2

SYNTHETIC RUBBER

INTENSIVE INVESTIGATIONS IMPORTANCE CARBIDE (N.Z.P.A. Special Aust. Correspondent) SYDNEY, August 27,_ Lack of rubber, natural or synthetic, can lose the war for tho United Nations. Need of rubber is urgent. With 90 per cent, of tho world’s supply of natural rubber in Japanese bauds, rubber must be made. Already Australia and New Zealand are feeling the pinch of dwindling stocks. Cars are going off tho road because tyre replacements are not available. In Sydney this week a drastic reduction of municipal bus services was announced. Shortage of tyros was a main reason. And now experts are urging that the Federal Government foster tho immediate establishment of a synthetic rubber industry. Cost does not matter. If tho wheels of war are to be kept turning, rubber must be bad •—at any price. America has tackled tho problem with characteristic vigour, while the countries of tho British Empire lag sadly behind. Sole worth-while source of supply remaining to the Empire is threatened Ceylon, with an annual output of 100,000 tons. British reserve stocks are estimated at an additional 100,000 tons. In 1941 America imported 800,000 tons from sources of supplv now in Japanese hands. Conservation of supplies, with scrap collections, will give the United States about 1,000,000 tons to carry her into 1943. But America has quickly recognised that this is merely a stop-gap solution to her problem, _ She must make rubber, and do it quickly. Two months ago United States synthetic rubber production was _at tho rate of 30,000 tons a year. With four 10.000-ton Government-subsidised plants getting under way, production should bo pushed close to 70,000 tons by the end of 1942. _ Although the figure is not large, it is more _ than Germany's vaunted synthetic production. But, by the end of 1943, American svnthetic rubber production is planned to reach 800,000 tons—America’s normal peace-time annual requirements.

Biggest production proportion is assigned to Buna-S, major development of Germany’s synthetic rubber industry. This has "been decided upon for the practical reasons that Buna-S makes a good tyre, it cun stand alone or combined with natural or reclaimed rubber. it is the only type of synthetic rubber of which United States technicians have had wide experience. Now Australian experts are urging that tho Commonwealth • follow America’s lead. They decry the search being made for rubber-producing plants, since world-wide investigation has proved that only two plants yield marketable rubber —the rubber tree and tho Mexican guayule. Further, the development of a rubber-growing industry is at least a five or six years’ task, which is far too long-term a policy for Australia’s urgent needs.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS. Basic requirements for the more rapidly produced synthetic rubber are coal and chalk. From these come carbide. And in carbide lies the “ key to a storehouse of hundreds of indispensable raw materials, because from carbide you can manufacture plastics, artificial silk, ether, alcohol, acetic acid synthetic fibres, and, most important at tho present time, synthetic rubber.” One of the greatest puzzles to technologists was that Britain was not producing any carbide when the war started and was, in fact, the only industrial nation without a carbide industry. Britain imported (30,000 tons of carbide a year for welding and metal-cutting, while Germany was making and using 000,000 tons. But, unlike Britain, Australia has an efficient and old-established carbide industry—centred in Tasmania near vast highgrade limestone deposits. Two years ago this company was producing B,COO tons of carbide. Technical experts believe that production could be stepped up four times. "■ From carbide comes acetylene, and from acetylene can bo made neoprene—synthetic rubber in one of its forms. ,\f r A. it. Penfold, curator of the Sydney Technicological Museum, writing in the ‘ Daily Telegraph,’ explains the manufacture process. He says: “Neoprene starts with the formation of calcium carbide from coal and limestone. Calcium carbide is converted into acetylene gas on the addition of water. By treatment the gas becomes chroloprene, a limpid, clear, colourless liquid when first prepared. But when it is allowed to stand for a fow days it becomes viscous. amj with the addition of alcohol synthetic rubber is. obtained.” With the exception of Buna-S. neoprene is probably the best of synthetic rubber. The Buna-type product can also be made from but neoprene is generally held simpler to make because production is less involved technically. _ The great American industrial combine of Du Pont developed neoprene, and, no doubt, would make available the complete formula for manufacture. With the rubber problem becoming increasingly acute, there is certain to be rising agitation in Australia for the utilisation of Tasmania’s basic carbide industry for synthetic rubber production. Already the Government has acted in the parallel case of substitute motor fuels. As with rubber, cost is a secondary consideration. Supplies to fulfil war needs must be had regardless of expense. Meantime, 'Australia is a trickle of natural rubber from New Guinea plantations and. the civil population is making sacrifices to boost scrap contributions.