Why use rare earths in rubber production? Chinese scientists are engineering tougher tyres

Chinese researchers have completed trials of a rare earth-based synthetic rubber production facility, industrializing a key material for electric vehicle and heavy-duty vehicle tyres. The facility, built by Dushanzi Petrochemical (a PetroChina subsidiary) with support from the Changchun Institute of Applied..., aims to produce high-quality synthetic rubber critical for transport, manufacturing, and national defence.