borracha

Borracha is the Portuguese term for rubber, a family of elastic polymers that can be natural or synthetic. In Brazilian Portuguese, the word borracha is also used to refer to the eraser used to remove pencil marks. The material is valued for its elasticity, resilience, and versatility across industries and everyday objects.

Natural rubber is obtained from the latex of the Hevea brasiliensis tree and related species. The latex is collected by tapping the tree, then coagulated, dried, and processed into sheets or compounds. Through vulcanization, sulfur crosslinks improve strength and elasticity, making natural rubber suitable for tires, belts, hoses, seals, footwear, and vibration dampers. Global production is concentrated in Southeast Asia, with Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia among the largest producers, alongside historical and regional contributions from other countries.

Synthetic rubbers are engineered polymers produced from petroleum-derived feedstocks. Major types include styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), polybutadiene, neoprene, nitrile, butyl, and silicone rubbers. They are tailored for specific properties such as oil resistance, temperature tolerance, or chemical inertness, enabling diverse applications in tires, seals, gaskets, medical gloves, cables, and footwear.

Erasers, commonly called borrachas in Brazil, are typically made from natural or synthetic rubber, sometimes with vinyl or other plastics, and are used for removing graphite marks on paper and other surfaces.

Environmental considerations include waste management and recycling challenges. Natural rubber is more biodegradable than most synthetic rubbers, but recycling and sustainable sourcing remain important for reducing the environmental footprint of rubber products.