Published: October 23, 2026 | GON Plastics
Styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) and butadiene rubber (BR) are the two most widely used general purpose synthetic elastomers in the world, together forming the backbone of tire, footwear and polymer modification value chains. Choosing the right grade for a specific application requires a clear understanding of how these two workhorses differ in chemistry, performance and end-use behavior.
What Are SBR and BR?
SBR (styrene butadiene rubber) is a copolymer synthesized from styrene and butadiene. It accounts for the largest share of global synthetic rubber consumption, primarily because of its balanced mechanical properties, good abrasion resistance and stable processability at a competitive cost. BR (butadiene rubber, also called polybutadiene), produced by polymerizing butadiene, is known as the rubber with the highest resilience among general purpose elastomers. Its high-cis grades provide exceptional rebound, low heat generation and superior flex cracking resistance.
How They Compare: Key Performance Dimensions
To choose the right material, it helps to understand how SBR and BR differ across critical performance dimensions:
Abrasion resistance
SBR offers strong wear resistance, making it a first choice for tire treads and shoe soles exposed to heavy friction; BR contributes further when combined with SBR.
Resilience and low-temperature behavior
BR leads with the highest rebound elasticity and excellent performance at low temperatures, helping reduce rolling heat in tires and resisting brittleness in cold climates.
Processing and cost
SBR processes more easily and is generally more cost effective at scale, which is why it dominates high-volume general purpose applications.
Aging and crack resistance
BR provides outstanding flex cracking resistance, extending the service life of dynamic rubber parts.
Where Each Shines: Application Scenarios
SBR applications: tire tread and sidewall compounds, conveyor belt cover layers, rubber shoe soles, general purpose hoses, gaskets and various molded rubber goods.
BR applications: tire sidewalls and treads (blended with SBR or natural rubber), high-resilience rubber parts, mechanical vibration dampers, footwear soles and transmission belts. High-cis BR also works as an efficient impact modifier for HIPS and GPPS polystyrene.
Getting the Best of Both: The Power of Blending
In real-world formulations, SBR and BR are rarely used alone. Blending them lets manufacturers balance abrasion resistance with resilience and low-temperature performance, achieving property combinations no single rubber can deliver. Tire compounds, for example, typically combine SBR for wear resistance with BR for low rolling heat and improved grip—a synergy that has become a mainstream compounding strategy across the industry.
GON offers both SBR and BR grades, along with professional blending guidance, to help customers reach their target performance profiles efficiently.
Talk to Our Material Experts
Need help choosing or blending the right rubber grade for your application? Our technical team is ready to provide formulation support, sample testing and customized material solutions.
Email: info@gonplastics.com
WhatsApp: +86 15066260005
Website: https://www.gonplastics.com/
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