Polybutadiene was one of the first types of synthetic elastomer, or rubber, to be invented. It didn't take a great a degree of imagination to come up with, as its very similar to natural rubber, polyisoprene. It is good for uses which require exposure to low temperatures. Tires treads are often made of polybutadiene copolymers. Belts, hoses, gaskets and other automobile parts are made from polyubutadiene, because it stands up to cold temperatures better than other elastomers. Many polymers can become brittle at low temperatures thanks to a phenomenon called the glass transition. Driving in the winter can be bad enough with out hoses and gaskets going out on you! A hard rubber called poly(styrene-butadiene-styrene), or SBS rubber is a copolymer containing polybutadiene.
Polybutadiene is a diene polymer, that is a polymer made from a monomer containing two carbon-carbon double bonds, specifically butadiene. It is made by Ziegler-Natta polymerization.
This is what a molecule of the monomer butadiene looks like:
Other polymers used as rubber include: Polyisoprene, Polyisobutylene, Poly(styrene-butadiene-styrene), Polyurethanes, Polychloroprene, Silicones