Rapid Evaluation of the Properties of Natural Rubber Latex and Its Products Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy

The parameters including physico-chemical properties such as dry rubber content (DRC), total solids content (TSC), volatile fatty acid (VFA) number, alkalinity (ammonia content) and potassium hydroxide (KOH) number and physical properties such as viscosity and cross-link density are important to the trading and processing of natural rubber latex and its products. Traditionally these properties of field and concentrated latices and their products including thin and thick films are evaluated with chemicals and time-consuming methods and with the need of technical experts. The near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is a nondestructive, rapid, accurate and environment-friendly technique. It needs no chemical. This chapter describes the application of NIR spectroscopy on evaluation of the properties of natural rubber latex and its products