Hydrophilic polymers as protein removers for natural rubber latex

Abstract

Water soluble hydrophilic polymers (WSHP) in removing extractable proteins in natural rubber latex(NRL) has been investigated. Two WSHPs were synthesised by free radically initiated solution polymerisation technique using two acrylic monomers and these WSHPs were added to field NRL as aqueous solutions at 5 different concentrations separately and matured for 24 hrs. Mixtures were centrifuged and their protein contents were assessed by Modified Lowry method assisted ASTM D 5712-5 and Fourier Transform Infra Red Spectroscopy (FTIR). Performance in reducing proteins by the treatment of latex with a selected concentration from the same tested range, was assessed in vulcanised films too. Both WSHPs are capable of removing extractable proteins in NR latex and this capability is found to be greatly depended on their composition. Protein removing efficiency of homopolymer was found to be increased with the concentration whilst that of copolymer declines after about 0.10 phr. Results of thermal stability studies performed by Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) on some treated and untreated NRL films complimented observations of FTIR.