Available online
Description
The programme concentrates on the production of a styrenebutadiene rubber and how its property of workability is tailored to fit its use in the manufacture of car tyres.
The programme concentrates on the production of a styrenebutadiene rubber and how its property of workability is tailored to fit its use in the manufacture of car tyres.
| Module code and title: | T352, Materials processing |
|---|---|
| Item code: | T352; 07 |
| First transmission date: | 29-05-1979 |
| Published: | 1979 |
| Rights Statement: | |
| Restrictions on use: | |
| Duration: | 00:24:00 |
| + Show more... | |
| Producer: | Barrie Whatley |
| Contributor: | Peter Lewis |
| Publisher: | BBC Open University |
| Keyword(s): | Car tyre; Emilsion polymerisation; Latex; Monomer; Polymer; Recycling; Steam stripping; Styrene-butadiene rubber; Synthetic rubber |
| Footage description: | Shots of a laboratory beaker with a polymer forming inside. Still shots of the Imperial Rubber Plant at Southampton. Commentary by Peter Lewis introduces the programme. Lewis, with samples of different polymers, describes the very specific properties required of a svnthetic rubber. Using chain models of monomers and polymers, Lewis explains how polymers with specific properties are formed in the polymerisation reaction. He explains, particularly, methods of stopping the polymerisation reaction at an appropriate point and of preventing chain branching. Peter Lewis shows samples of two polymers, polybutadiene and polystyrene, which individually do not have properties suitable for tyres but combined are ideally suited. He then goes on to the factors that control molecular weight and reduce chain branching in polymerisation reactions. Lewis points out the problem of temperature control during the polymerisation process. With the aid of an animation, he explains how this problem was overcome at the Southampton plant where the emulsion polymerisation method is used. Over shots of The Imperial Synthetic Rubber Plant at Southampton and a working model of the plant, Lewis examines the polymerisation of synthetic rubber in detail. He begins by describing what is happening in the reaction vessels and how the reaction is controlled. Continuing to use the working model, Lewis next explains how the excess butadiene and styrene from the reaction are removed and recycled. Lewis lists several problems which can occur such as latex spillage in the styrene condenser, accidental polymerisation, and precoagulation of latex in the styrene stripping tower. These are all shown in the working model. Lewis goes on to explain, over shots of the working model, the coagulation stage of the process and finally the washing and drying process. Still shots of the Imperial Sysnthetic Rubber plant. Lewis sums up the programme. |
| Master spool number: | 6HT/72652 |
| Production number: | 00525_5331 |
| Videofinder number: | 1434 |
| Available to public: | no |
