Natural Rubber
Natural rubber is strong and flexible and holds up well against wear and tear, such as abrasion, fatigue, and exposure to water and certain chemicals. Natural rubber also adheres well to other materials, which is ideal for making enforced products, such as tires.
Natural rubber has a decent service temperature range, but it may not be the ideal choice for extreme heat, harsh lighting, or ozone exposure. Additionally, natural rubber is not highly resistant to fuel, oil, and other substances.
Natural rubber can be found in thousands of different products, from industrial components to everyday consumer items. This may include hoses and belts, medical devices, protective gloves, and children’s toys.
The tire industry consumes a large portion of the world’s natural rubber supply. Natural rubber is often found in high-performance vehicle tires because of its excellent tear strength, even at high temperatures caused by friction. Aircraft tries, heavy truck tries, and race car tires are often made from natural rubber.
The tire isn’t the only part of the vehicle that contains natural rubber. Brake pads, airbags, seals, and other automotive components also rely on rubber’s desirable properties to serve important functions while the vehicle is in service.
Every natural rubber product will have a slightly different composition profile based on its service environment. A basic natural rubber recipe includes:
Latex, a milky white substance harvested from the rubber tree.
Acids, to trigger clumping of filtered latex.
Chemicals, for the prevulcanization process.
Additives, such as fillers, curing agents, antidegradants, and more.
Most of today’s natural rubber supply comes from a single species of rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis. Hevea brasiliensis is native to South America, but Hevea brasiliensis plantations can be found all over southeast Asia. Some major companies are experimenting with making rubber from other plants, but Hevea brasiliensis remains the primary source.
The first step of the natural rubber production process is harvesting. Rubber trees must be at least six years old before they can be tapped. Once the tree reaches maturity, a tapper peels back a carefully cut section of the tree’s bark, which disrupts the plant ducts and releases latex, a milky white substance. The latex flows along the grooves of the peeled-back panel and is collected in cups or bags. Rubber tappers then collect all the harvested latex and transport it for processing.
The freshly harvested latex is filtered and packaged into drums. At this stage, acid is added to the latex, which forms clumps. This clumpy fluid is rolled into sheets at a mill, which removes water and prepares the material for drying and smoking.
Next, the latex sheets are treated with chemicals and low, gentle heating, a process called prevulcanization. Stabilizers and other ingredients may be introduced at this stage, depending on the desired final properties of the rubber. Further heating transforms the sheets into the firm, black material that most people recognize as rubber. At this stage, the rubber can be molded, shaped, or otherwise processed into a final product.
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