The flow behavior of liquid natural rubber (LNR) with reference to the
effect of molecular weight, shear rate, and temperature has been stud
ied. LNR samples were prepared by thermal depolymerization of rubber (
NR) through the combined effect of mechanical, chemical, and thermal e
nergies. High molecular weight samples, especially at lower temperatur
es, showed pseudoplastic behavior, whereas the low molecular weight sa
mples were Newtonian at all temperatures. The viscosity of LNR conside
rably decreases with increase in temperature. The activation energy of
flow was also calculated. (C) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.