Natural Rubber

Natural rubber, also known as latex or gum rubber, is a versatile elastomer derived from the latex sap of certain types of trees, most notably the rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis). Here are some key points about natural rubber

OVERVIEW of NATURAL RUBBER

Natural Rubber or NR is a type of elastomer obtained from the latex extracted from rubber trees, specifically Hevea brasiliensis cultivated in plantations. These trees, commonly known as Pará rubber trees or simply rubber trees, hold immense economic significance as the primary source of this valuable material.

The milky latex sourced from these trees serves as the fundamental basis for natural rubber production. Harvesting this latex involves making angular incisions in the tree's bark, facilitating the flow of fluid, a process known as "tapping." The collected latex undergoes a series of refining procedures to prepare it for industrial processing, ultimately leading to the creation of natural rubber.

In many major rubber plantations worldwide, latex naturally coagulates in collection cups or is induced to coagulate using appropriate reagents. The resultant coagulated masses are then gathered and processed into dry forms suitable for commercial use, further enhancing the adaptability and widespread utilization of natural rubber.

Renowned for its exceptional stretch ratio, resilience, and waterproof properties, NR finds extensive application across diverse industries and products including Tires, automotive components, Industrial goods, Footwear, Medical and healthcare products, Consumer goods, Adhesives and coatings etc.

Range of products :
Ribbed smoked sheet: RSS1X, RSS1, RSS2, RSS3, RSS4 & RSS5.
Technically Specified Rubber: TSR 3L, TSR CV50, TSR CV60.
  TSR5, TSR10, TSR20. TSR 10CV, TSR 20CV.
Crepe Rubber: Thick Pale Crepe
  TPC 1X, TPC 1, TPC 2, TPC 3 TPC 3Y, TPC 4Y, TPC 4 Mix, 3X Brown Crepe
  Thin pale Crepe
  Sole Crepe (In White, Black & Honey colour)
Concentrated Latex: 60% Concentrated Latex - High Ammonia (HA)
  60% Concentrated Latex - Low Ammonia (LA)
Skim Rubber Skim Crepe, Skim Block
Others: Compounded Rubber.

TYPES OF NATURAL RUBBER

RIBBED SMOKED SHEETS(RSS)

Ribbed Smoked Sheets commonly known as RSS are coagulated rubber sheets processed from fresh field latex. The production process involves several steps: Latex collection through tapping, coagulation using formic acid, sheet formation to achieve uniform thickness, ribbing to create parallel ridges or ribs on one side of the sheet. The sheets are air dried using natural air circulation or smoked in a specialized smoking chamber.

TECHNICAL SPECIFIED RUBBER (TSR)

Technical Specified Rubber (TSR) also known as Block Rubber refers to a type of processed natural rubber that are manufactured according to defined technical specifications or standards. TSR is produced through a series of controlled processes, starting from the collection of latex or Field Coagulum. The latex or field Coagulum undergoes various processing steps including cleaning, blending, size reduction, drying, and packaging. These processes ensure that the rubber meets the desired quality standards.

PALE LATEX CREPE

Latex crepe rubber or also known as Pale latex Crepe due to its white colour, is the purest form of natural rubber. It is manufactured by coagulating the field latex, followed by a process of rolling, drying and milling to produced crepe with standard thickness (thin or thick). The term "crepe" refers to the texture of the rubber, which has a wrinkled or crinkled appearance. The production of latex crepe primarily involves two key steps: fractionation and bleaching. Depending on the specific processing steps, latex crepe is inspected visually and divided into several grades. Though pale crepe is graded visually based on specific criteria outlined in the Green Book, depending on Customers specific requirements it may be manufactured to suit end user application.

Natural Rubber Latex Concentrate

Meticulously controlled right from the collection of fresh field latex sourced from smallholders, concentrated latex is pure and ranks among the cleanest raw materials in the rubber industry. Fresh field latex is preserved with added chemicals and then subjected to centrifugation to obtain concentrated latex. Centrifuging the latex is accomplished using a disc centrifuge, which separates the water to get the desired solidified rubber content. The discharged serum can be utilized as Skim block. Various types of latex concentrates with a Dry Rubber Content (DRC) of up to 60% are produced through this centrifugation process. Quality is enhanced by precisely extracting a higher percentage of water through centrifugal (suction) processes. Ammonia is added during the process to preserve and prevent solidification. However, the exact concentration of additives varies depending on the specific requirements of customers.

SKIM RUBBER

Skim Crepe/Block is a by-product of latex concentrate. Following centrifugation, approximately 4-8 % of the total rubber along with a higher proportion of non-rubber substance remain in the serum phase, forming what is known as "skim latex." Through suitable methods involving neutralization and coagulation, this skim latex is converted to Skim Crepe or dried and marketed as Skim block rubber.