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Dandelion Rubber Could Replace Rare Sources

Eric Bland, Discovery News

Researchers from Oregon State University, working in collaboration with the Ohio scientists, are developing different varieties of seeds, some of which could increase yields.

The exact details concerning growing and harvesting the plants, such as how many inches apart and when they should be planted, are still being worked out, but the researchers expect that within a few years the processing plant in Ohio could produce about 20 million tons of rubber annually.

By 2015 they hope to triple that amount, to more than 60 million tons, most of which will be used for research purposes.

In initial tests the dandelion rubber is of equal quality as traditional rubber derived from the Brazilian rubber tree, the world's only commercial source of natural rubber. It comes from Southeast Asia, the only region that grows rubber trees. (Disease killed commercial Brazilian rubber trees in South America.)

Synthetic rubber can be created, but it doesn't perform as well as natural rubber because of impurities. Car tires can contain as little as 10 percent natural rubber, but the more demanding the job, the more natural rubber is needed: Airplane tires are 100 percent natural rubber.

Some of the dandelion rubber will eventually go to Bridgestone, a leading tire manufacturer.

"I think this has some real potential," said Jason Poulton, Manager of Polymer Development at Bridgestone.

"It would be useful for tire producers to have a safe and steady supply of natural rubber that would insulate us from the price increases of the last five to seven years," said Jason Poulton.

The price for rubber, which has doubled in recent years, along with technological advances, makes alternative sources of natural rubber more attractive than past efforts, which reach all the way back to World War II, when the Soviets made TKS-based tires.

Poulton advises that policymakers and farmers proceed with caution should dandelion-derived rubber prove profitable, and not just because nearby lawn owners might protest at growing what they see as a weed.

"Dandelions could compete for farmland used for edible food," said Poulton. "Resolving that problem could be one of our biggest challenges."

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