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Sustainable coagulation approaches and their impacts towards the properties of natural rubber: a study related to tyre tread applications

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Abstract

With an objective to produce superior quality natural rubber (NR) for preparing tyre treads, various coagulation techniques were attempted for NR latex such as mechanical stirring and heating, steam-induced, salt-induced and freeze–thaw process, from which their efficiency was compared with formic acid-coagulated natural rubber. The effect of coagulation methods on molecular weight and thermo-oxidative ageing of resulting rubber was evaluated. The processing and cure characteristics, rubber–filler interaction and mechanical properties of NR were also evaluated. Rubber separated by mechanical stirring followed by heating and freeze–thaw coagulation showed better retention of molecular weight coagulated NR field latex. FTIR spectrum detected a high amount of nitrogenous materials in rubber compared to acid-coagulated natural rubber. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC), Mooney viscosity and black incorporation time were used to characterise the rubber separated by different methods. Different coagulation techniques adopted have very little effect on the glass transition temperature (Tg). Technological and morphological properties of rubber obtained by stirring and freeze–thaw processes are superior compared to other processes.

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The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Rubber Research Institute of India, Kottayam and Cochin University of Science and Technology for the technical support of this work.

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  1. Technical Consultancy Division, Rubber Research Institute of India, Rubber Board P.O., Kottayam, Kerala, 686009, India

    Vaishak Nambiathodi & Siby Varghese

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  1. Vaishak Nambiathodi
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Correspondence to Vaishak Nambiathodi.

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Nambiathodi, V., Varghese, S. Sustainable coagulation approaches and their impacts towards the properties of natural rubber: a study related to tyre tread applications. J Rubber Res 27, 1–10 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42464-023-00229-z

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