Abstract
The title “The Second Mile” was inspired by an address given by W. E. Wickenden, of the Case School of Applied Science, on an entirely different subject. Since this title seemed to suit the synthetic rubber situation as it now exists, Wickenden's permission was secured to use the title in connection with this lecture. In its broader aspects, the paper purports to cover the present status of the synthetic rubber situation. Natural rubber will be compared with the copolymers made from butadiene and styrene, butadiene and acrylonitrile, and the copolymers generally known as Butyl rubber. These three materials were chosen for the comparative study because they are the materials which the Government proposes to use in the largest quantities to alleviate the present shortage of rubber. It is hoped that the data will give a fairly accurate picture of the comparative or relative values of these synthetic rubbers and natural rubber. There will be no discussion of the methods of manufacture, which are still more or less secret. It is proposed also to go into the probable structure of these polymers and to indicate some trends of research which might profitably be followed to improve them.
