Colloidal And Rheological Properties Of Natural Rubber Latex Concentrate

Natural rubber latex concentrate (NRLC) is an important material used in manufacturing dipped products, yet thorough analysis of their colloidal and rheological properties are still lacking in these areas. In this work, the colloidal and rheological behaviour of the NRLC was studied. The NRLC particle size was in the range of 0.3 to 2 μm with narrow particle size distribution. The response of NRLC to an applied deformation was assessed through rheological experiments which include dynamic oscillation and steady state measurements. A change from liquid-like to solid-like behavior was observed as the volume fraction of the NRLC was increased above 0.48. The plastic viscosity and yield stress of the NRLC increased with increasing volume fraction according to the Bingham equation. The maximum packing volume fraction of the NRLC was found to be 0.75 with a diffused double layer thickness of 14 nm at ϕ =0.61