THE CHEMISTRY OF NATURAL-RUBBER LATEX

Natural rubber latex consists of particles of rubber hydrocarbon and n onrubber substances dispersed in an aqueous serum phase. The nonrubber s, amounting to more than 5%, include proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and inorganic salts. Latex concentrate is obtained by centrifugatian of latex, and dry rubber is obtained by acid coagulation, creping, siz e reduction, and drying. Rubber products, such as tires, and latex pro ducts, such as gloves and balloons, are made by mixing sulfur, acceler ator, and other compounding ingredients into the rubber or latex, foll owed by a shaping operation, and finally by heating to vulcanize the r ubber. Latex products need to be leached thoroughly to reduce the extr actable protein content to low values.