The Key Laboratory of Rubber-plastics, Ministry of Education（abbreviated as KLR）, established with the backing of the Polymer Materials and Engineering discipline in Qingdao University of Science and Technology in 2003 and having passed the acceptance evaluation of Ministry of Education of China in 2006, is a relatively independent research platform equipped with advanced instruments and excellent research groups. The KLR was also assigned to be one of the key provincial laboratories by the Science and Technology Department of Shandong Province in 2004. The major research areas in KLR include:

1. Molecular design of rubber/plastics and their controllable preparation technology;

2. Structure and function control and optimization of rubber/plastics;

3. Functional and special rubber/plastics;

4. Advanced molding and processing technology of rubber/plastics.

The Key Lab., composed of Analytic Center and Rubber & Plastics Testing Laboratory, is equipped with 46 advanced analytical instruments with a value of approximately 40,000,000 RMB which are located in a total floor space of 4000 square meters.

KLR currently has a staff of 50, 40 of them holding doctorate, including 16 professors and 20 associate professors , 1 full-time academician from Chinese Academy of Engineering, 1 part-time academician from Chinese Academy of Sciences and 1 Taishan Scholar. In addition, some well-known scientists in polymer field often visit KLR for communication and instruction as guest professors.

KLR currently has one post-doctoral station and three PhD programs, namely, Materials Science, Material Processing Engineering and Polymer Chemistry and Physics. It offers MS programs of Materials Science, Material Processing Engineering, Polymer Chemistry and Physics, and Material Process (MS degree in Engineering). About 120 postgraduates are enrolled every year, which is the main research force in Key Lab.

KLR has undertook two “973” national research projects, four “863”national research projects, 34 projects of National Natural Science Foundation of China, over 40 provincial research projects, 5 international cooperation and 54 industrial cooperation research projects with a total research fund of 35,470,000 RMB. Some of the projects won national and provincial awards. KLR has published over 150 SCI collected papers and 9 books and has obtained 7 authorized patents.

In recent years, KLR has established close cooperative relations with SINOPEC, Petro-China Company, Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co.,Ltd, Qingdao Haier, Lanxess Chemical, etc. KLR is working together with LANXESS Rubber Research Center Qingdao which is the highlight of successful research cooperation to enhance the fundamental research, talents training and information communication in rubber field. KLR is also keeping a close relationship with University of Erlangen-Nuernberg and Paderborn University in Germany, KraussMaffei Berstorff Company, IIC company, Netzsch Company, Zwick Company and Alpha Company by means of joint-training master students or establishing demonstration laboratories.

KLR always pays much attention to opening up and academic exchange. “Qingdao International Rubber & Plastics Conference” has been held successfully 4 times by KLR since 2004 and it has become a well-known academic conference annually held by Qingdao University of Science and Technology. Prof. Hideki Shirakawa, Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry in 2000, attended the 4th “Qingdao International Rubber & Plastics Conference” in 2008 and gave a remarkable lecture. KLR has developed regular academic exchanges with Akron University, Goodyear Company, University of Erlangen-Nuernberg, German Rubber Research Institute, and German Engineers Associate.

The management of KLR emphasized the concept of “opening, flowing, collaboration and competition”. KLR keeps rubber technology as the characteristic, meets the national and local economic needs to solve scientific frontier and key technological problems in rubber and plastics fields and train high level research talents. KLR makes efforts to build it into a base for scientific research, materials development, technological innovation, talents training and information exchanges.