Natural rubber is the rubber material derived directly from the Hevea brasiliensis tree. It is produced by collecting (tapping) the sap or latex of the tree and then treating the latex mainly through the addition of ammonia with formic acid., Natural rubber, which chemically known as Polyisoprene, is processed into end produced using both latex liquid form and a dry gum form.
No. Though natural rubber has many outstanding properties, mainly high strength and toughness, there are plenty of synthetic rubber types which can easily stand up to the same tasks, as well as provide added benefits such as improved aging resistance or chemical resistance.
Rubber and other soft materials need to be measured for hardness, which is where a durometer is used. It is made of a spring loaded point that is applied to the surface of the rubber, which calculated how resistance it is to indentation of the surface by the point. The Type “A” durometer measures readings up to 100 (0 being the softest and 100 being the hardest). In order to avoid confusion, the readings from the Type A durometer should always be referred to with the suffix ‘A’, as there are other durometer scales (00 scale for foam rubber) like the D scale, which is used to measure the hardness of harder plastic-like materials.
Unlike most plastics, rubber chemically changes form after being processed. It is known as a thermosetting material and cannot simply be re-melted.
Ultra-violet light & Ozone cause the most damage to rubber parts in storage. Molded rubber products, whether in bulk or in assemblies, should be placed in sealed bags and kept in boxes out of direct sunlight, excessive temperatures and humidity. They should be stored in cool, dark & dry places to maximize shelf life.
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