Material Insights · Understanding the Material World

Styrene-butadiene rubber: Overview

Why tyre treads, shoes and conveyor belts use it

What this tab covers What the chemical is, how big its market is, what it is used for (with shares, volumes, why it wins and what could replace it), and its chain from raw material to end user. Ends with three things to remember.

Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) is a copolymer of about three parts butadiene to one part styrene. Emulsion SBR (ESBR) is the cheap workhorse; solution SBR (SSBR), made with lithium catalysts, can be tuned with silica to cut tyre rolling resistance. World use is about 5.5 Mt a year (2024, indicative), about 70% in tyres. Demand for commodity grades was sluggish in 2025 while advanced grades stayed robust (GlobalData, Dec 2025). India's DGTR recommended anti-dumping duties of $51-319/t on ESBR from five origins in March 2026.

Volume about 5.5 Mt a year (2024, indicative, basis: butadiene tile's 30% SBR share of about 15 Mt butadiene at about 0.76 t butadiene per t SBR, rounded down for SB latex overlap) Market value about $10 billion (2024, indicative, basis: 5.5 Mt x about $1,800/t) Growth about 2-3% a year (indicative); SSBR faster, ESBR flat butadiene tile (S&P Global 2025); GlobalData Rubber Bulletin via Just Auto, Dec 2025; volume and value indicative

Key uses

UseShareAnnual volumeWhy this commodityAlternatives
Tyres (passenger car treads mainly)70%about 3.9 Mtbasis SBR gives treads abrasion resistance and wet grip at lower cost than natural rubber, and it blends well with carbon black or silica. SSBR with silica cuts rolling resistance for EU tyre labels and EVs. indicative share, industry estimates natural rubber
polybutadiene blends
bio-based SBR
Mechanical rubber goods (belts, hoses, mouldings)12%about 0.7 Mtbasis Conveyor belts, gaskets and moulded parts use SBR where oil resistance is not needed. indicative share natural rubber
EPDM
NBR
Footwear7%about 0.4 Mtbasis Shoe soles use SBR, often high-styrene grades, for wear resistance and low cost. indicative share EVA
thermoplastic rubber (SBS)
polyurethane
Adhesives and sealants4%about 0.2 Mtbasis SBR-based adhesives for packaging, tapes and construction. indicative share SBS and SIS
acrylics
Other (flooring, cable sheathing, chewing gum base, asphalt)7%about 0.4 Mtbasis Cheap, easy to process elastomer for many small uses. indicative share natural rubber
PVC
SBS for asphalt
Shares are indicative global splits for solid SBR applied to an indicative 5.5 Mt; SB latex for paper and carpet is excluded. SBR was about 40% of India's synthetic rubber use (Research and Markets via ERJ, 2012).

From raw material to user

  1. Butadiene and styrene About 0.76 t butadiene and 0.24 t styrene per t ESBR (indicative, 23.5% bound styrene).
  2. Polymerisation ESBR in water emulsion at about 5 C (cold process); SSBR in hexane or cyclohexane with butyllithium.
  3. Oil extension and coagulation 1700-series ESBR carries 37.5 parts of TDAE oil per 100 rubber (indicative).
  4. Baling Dried crumb is pressed into 35 kg bales and packed in crates or wrapped pallets.
  5. Tyre compounding Mixed with carbon black or silica, oil and curatives; vulcanised in the tyre.

Made from (commodity table)

Oil Crude oilRbr Natural rubber

Three things to know

  • About 70% of SBR goes into tyres, so SBR follows car and replacement tyre sales (indicative).
  • European SSBR exports rose 30% in January-September 2025, including 49% more to China, while ESBR exports fell 10% with strong losses to India (GlobalData, Dec 2025).
  • DGTR's March 2026 final findings recommended five-year anti-dumping duties on ESBR from the EU ($213/t), Japan ($272/t), Korea ($51-134/t), Russia ($319/t) and Thailand ($109-195/t) (ERJ, Mar 2026).

Read the tabs

Production routeProductionFeedstocksCyclesTradingMovementRegulationCharacteristicsEmissions