1. Hevea Rubber (Hevea Brasiliensis)
- The primary raw material for natural rubber comes from the Hevea tree (Hevea Brasiliensis), mainly cultivated in Southeast Asia, particularly in Thailand.
2. Sumatra Rubber
- Rubber is also produced in Sumatra, Indonesia, serving as another globally significant production region.
Natural Rubber Supply Chain Process:
1. Cultivation and Harvesting:
2. Processing and Production:
3. Domestic and International Trade:
4. Product Manufacturing:
Applications of Natural Rubber
1. Automobile Tires:
- Natural rubber is a key raw material for the manufacturing of automobile tires due to its excellent wear resistance and elasticity.
2. Shoe Soles:
- Widely used in the production of shoe soles, providing cushioning and durability during walking.
3. Industrial Products:
- Utilized in a variety of industrial products, serving as vibration control materials and sealing materials.
4. Medical Devices:
- Used in the production of medical gloves and some medical devices due to its flexibility and biocompatibility.
Applications of RSS (Rubber Smoked Sheet) and TSR (Technically Specified Rubber):
1. RSS (Rubber Smoked Sheet):
- Automobile Tire Manufacturing:
- RSS is extensively used in the production of high-end automobile tires due to its excellent physical properties and quality, making it a reliable material for tires that require high wear resistance and durability.
- High-Quality Products:
- Additionally, RSS is employed in the manufacturing of other high-quality rubber products, including industrial goods, luxury consumer goods, and some medical devices.
2. TSR (Technically Specified Rubber):
- Automobile Parts Manufacturing:
- TSR products are widely used in the manufacturing of automobile parts. In components requiring vibration control, such as engine mounts and bushings, TSR is selected for its specific properties.
- Industrial Applications:
- Used in the manufacturing of industrial products, TSR is an ideal material for products where the flexibility and elasticity of rubber are essential.
- Medical Devices:
- TSR is also used in some medical devices, playing a crucial role in the production of medical products due to its biocompatibility.
Natural Rubber, which is obtained predominantly from the rubber tree, Hevea Brasiliensis, is an aqueous colloid of rubber containing 30-40% rubber, by mass.
Getting the rubber in a dry form is a specialized process in itself. The raw is concentrated, i.e., its % rubber content is increased and proportion of non-rubber constituents is reduced by processes such as centrifuging and creaming.
Latex is a sticky, milky colloid drawn off by making incisions in the bark of the Par rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) and collecting the fluid in vessels in a process called tapping. The latex then is refined into rubber ready for commercial processing.
In major areas, latex is allowed to coagulate in the collection cup. Concentrated Latex is derived from Field Latex and is processed using centrifuge methods. It contains 60% Dry Rubber Content (DRC). There are two main types of Concentrated Latex available in the market: High Ammonia or Standard Ammonia Concentrate (HA Latex) and Low Ammonia Concentrate (LATZ).
LATEX CONCENTRATE (HA)
TYPE
Natural rubber latex concentrate (HA) is a high ammonia centrifuged concentrated latex of the sap of Hevea brasiliensis trees. This general purpose type latex finds its application in a variety of products.
APPLICATION
HA latex is the most widely used form of concentrate and has the advantage that the only preservative (ammonia) it contains is volatile. Hence it may be used confidently in food applications and for medical goods.
HA latex concentrate has wide applications especially in the dipped products like medical or industrial gloves, balloons, condoms, catheters, finger cots, tubing, etc.
It is also used as an adhesive for footballs, bandages, in wood lamination and for binding different types of materials.
It gives excellent films of high clarity and has good adhesion characteristic.
STORAGE
Store the product under shelter at temperatures between 10�°C and
35�°C
Creaming of latex may occure during storage. It is therefore necessary to stir well the latex before used.
As the product is based on natural rubber latex changes in colloidal properties may occur on storage.
TYPICAL PROPERTIES
Total Solids Content (TSC), %
61.00 min
Dry Rubber Content (DRC), %
60.00 min
Non Rubber Content (NRC ), %
1.70 max
Ammonia Content (on total weight), %
0.65-0.75
pH Value
11.00 max
KOH Number
0.70 max
Volatile Fatty Acid Number
0.05 max
M.S.T. @55% TSC, sec.
650 min
Magnesium Content, (on solids),
ppm
40 max
HANDLING PRECAUTION
Before handling, read product information, chemical safety data sheets and container label for safe use, physical and health hazard information.
PACKING
Available in both bulk and drum.
Natural rubber, in its milky sap, is tapped from the Hevea Brasiliensis tree. Most of the latex is either processed into sheets or solid crumb rubber. It can also be kept in its liquid form through use of chemicals to prevent the latex from coagulation.
In the solid form, the rubber sheets or crumbs are used in the manufacture of solid rubber based products, e.g. tyres etc., while the liquid form is used for dipping products such as gloves, balloons and condoms.
Technically Specified Rubber (TSR)
Rubber grading under TSR was established in the early 1970s. The rubber is graded by its dirt, ash, nitrogen content, volatile matter content and plasticity retention index. They have good processing characteristics and physical properties. Usually, such grades of rubber are high in green strength, tack, easy to mix and has low viscosity.
Common sources of TSR include Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, India etc. However quite recently the African and South American rubbers are gaining popularity. Most Asian countries have a nomenclature of labelling their standard rubbers with the country of their origin viz. Standard Malaysia Rubber as SMR, Standard Indonesia Rubber as SIR, Standard Thailand Rubber as STR and Standard Vietnam Rubber as SVR. These are used in high performance passenger tyres, motorcycle and bicycle tyres, heavy load truck tyres, conveyor belt, inner tubes and hose.
Ngoc Chau Natural Rubber offers Latex 60% DRC, a high-quality natural rubber latex derived from Hevea brasiliensis plantations in Vietnam. Our latex is processed under strict quality controls and conforms to TCVN/ISO standards. Available in High Ammonia (HA), Medium Ammonia (MA), and Low Ammonia (LA) grades, this product is tailored to meet the needs of industries such as:
Medical and Household Gloves
Mattresses and Pillows
Adhesives and Coatings
Industrial and Automotive Components
Key Features:
60% Dry Rubber Content
Strong elasticity and film-forming properties
Excellent stability and antibacterial protection
Packaging options: Flexibag, Drum, IBC Tank, Jerry Can
