PROCESSES FOR RECOVERING RUBBER FROM NATURAL RUBBER LATEX

摘要

Processes for recovering natural rubber from an aqueous natural rubber latex that contains extractables and one or more additives and that is essentially free of lignocellulosic plant material are described. Natural rubber in the latex is separated from the water. Preferably, the amount of non-rubber extractables in the natural rubber is reduced by one or more extraction steps yielding a dried natural rubber.

主权项

1. A process for recovering rubber from an aqueous non-Hevea natural rubber latex that contains natural rubber, water, extractables, and one or more additives, and is essentially free of lignocellulosic plant material, comprising the steps of:
contacting the latex with a first treatment solution whereby at least 75% of the natural rubber coagulates and a mixture containing coagulated natural rubber, water, and extractables is formed; collecting the coagulated natural rubber; contacting the coagulated natural rubber with a second treatment solution comprising at least one organic polar solvent in order to preferentially solvate the extractables; and drying the coagulated natural rubber to create a resultant natural rubber wherein the resultant natural rubber has an amount of acetone extractables of 5% by weight or less.