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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Albany, California » Western Regional Research Center » Crop Improvement and Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #179620
Title: DYNAMIC MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF LATEX FILMS

Author
item McMahan, Colleen
item PAWLOWSKI, HENRY - ALPHA TECHNOLOGIES
item CORNISH, KATRINA - YULEX CORPORATION
item WILLIAMS, JALI - YULEX CORPORATION

Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/4/2005
Publication Date: 5/16/2005
Citation: McMahan, C.M., Pawlowski, H.A., Cornish, K., Williams, J. 2005. Dynamic Mechanical Properties of Latex films. Rubber Division, American Chemical Society.

Interpretive Summary: Commercial application of natural rubber latex from Parthenium argentatum (guayule) requires an understanding of the behavior of that latex when compounded into formulations modeling those currently using Hevea brasiliensis or synthetic polyisoprene. The vulcanization (crosslinking) characteristics for these materials are known to be different, and kinetics of the vulcanization reaction can significantly impact production costs. This work explores various strategies (chemical, thermal, etc.) to efficiently process guayule latex.

Technical Abstract: The dynamic mechanical properties before, during, and after cure of films cast from latex were measured using an Advanced Polymer Analyzer (APA 2000). Comparison of uncompounded lattices from Hevea brasiliensis and Parthenium argentatum show significant differences in the rheological behavior of the purified latex films. Curing characteristics as measured by the APA were compared to mechanical properties of heat-treated films. The effect of various additives on curing kinetics was compared. Compounding ingredients for model formulations were investigated.