Role of phospholipids and proteins on gel formation and physical properties of NR during accelerated storage

• Main Authors: S. Amnuaypornsri, A. Nimpaiboon, J. Sakdapipanich
• Other Authors: Mahidol University
• Format: Article
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: Engineering; Materials Science
• Online Access: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/27568

The effect of non-rubber components i.e. proteins and long-chain fatty acid ester group in phospholipids on gel formation, storage hardening and change in physical properties of natural rubber (NR) during accelerated storage were investigated. Proteins and phospholipids in NR were decomposed by deproteinization and transesterification, respectively. Centrifuged natural rubber (CNR) and deproteinized natural rubber (DPNR) showed significant increase in Wallace plasticity, Mooney viscosity and tensile strength during storage while transeste rifled natural rubber (TENR) and transesterified deproteinized natural rubber (TE-DPNR) showed very low and almost constant values during storage. This suggests that proteins are not responsible for storage hardening but phospholipids instead play an important role on storage hardening. The formation of crosslinking in storage NR was further studied and discussed in the present work.