Chlorasulfonated polyethylene elastomers properties

Chlorosulfonated polyethylene elastomers have excellent resistance to ozone, heat, weather, oxygen, oils and other fluids; exhibit great colorability and color stability; show high tensile strength and abrasion resistance; have excellent electrical insulating properties; and have low flammability characteristics. They are superior to polychloroprene in overall properties, and inferior to, but more cost-effective than, silicone or fluoroelastomers.

Chlorasulfonated polyethylene elastomers applications

Compared with chlorinated polyethylene, chlorosulfonated polyethylene elastomers exhibit better mechanical properties and abrasion resistance. Both chlorosulfonated polyethylene elastomers and chlorinated polyethylene can be cross-linked by peroxides or radiation curing, but chlorosulfonated polyethylene elastomers can also be cross-linked by metal oxides, sulfur-bearing organic compounds and epoxy resins. Because of their unique set of properties, chlorosulfonated polyethylene elastomers have been adopted in many applications in a vast assortment of industries, such as the construction sector (roofing membranes, pond and reservoir liners), automotive sector (hoses, tubing and belts), industrial products sector (seals, belts, linings, printing rolls and linings for tanks), wire and cable sector, and other (molded goods and articles, coatings and adhesives).

Chlorasulfonated polyethylene elastomers global consumption.

As of early 2009, DuPont Performance Elastomers holds most of the market share in terms of nameplate capacity for chlorosulfonated polyethylene elastomers, representing nearly 90% of the global share. The market position of the three chlorosulfonated polyethylene elastomer producers remained unchanged during 2005–2008. China was the only country to add capacity during 1997–2004; it commissioned a chlorosulfonated polyethylene elastomer plant in September 2004 with an annual capacity of 3 thousand metric tons.

The following pie chart shows world consumption of chlorosulfonated polyethylene elastomers:

The driving force behind chlorosulfonated polyethylene elastomer consumption in the world is the automotive sector. The United States, Western Europe, Japan and China combined consumed nearly one-fourth of total world consumption of chlorosulfonated polyethylene elastomers in their respective automotive industries in 2008. The second-largest market is construction applications in roofing membranes and liners for ponds and reservoirs.

The current global economic recession, especially significant in the United States (since the United States is the largest consumer of chlorosulfonated polyethylene elastomers), will dampen consumption growth in the forecast period from 2008 to 2013.

Some resourced from: www.sriconsulting.com