Natural rubber is used in a wide range of products used throughout the globe. Lab-produced rubber works for many applications but is insufficient for vital items like airplane tires and specialty medical products.
Natural rubber also is a precious resource; 90% of the plants that serve as its source for are grown in a tiny area of Southeast Asia.
A $26 million grant from the National Science Foundation will fund an Engineering Research Center aimed at producing natural rubber in the United States, an industry that has the potential to enhance access to this precious natural resource and to produce millions of jobs.
UC Merced chemical and materials engineering Professor Kara McCloskey is a co-principal investigator for the newly awarded ERC, titled Transformation of American Rubber through Domestic Innovation for Supply Security, or TARDISS. The center is led by Ohio State University; in addition to UC Merced, partners include Caltech, North Carolina State University and Texas Tech University.
“The School of Engineering at UC Merced is pleased to accept this award and looks forward to participating in this impactful interdisciplinary research that aligns with UC Merced’s mission to incorporate sustainable best practices in all areas of technology,” Dean Rakesh Goel said.