| |
|
|
|
Abstract
NR Latex Particle Size and Its Molecular Weight from Young
and Mature Hevea Trees
The age of young NR Hevea trees has
an influence on the size of latex particles. Young seedling trees aged less
than 3 year had small rubber particles of sizes less than 1 µm, while
mature trees showed particle sizes of up to 4 µm (from 0.04 µm
to 4 µm). NR latex particles from virgin trees of clones RRIM 600,
aged from 1 to 7 years showed the average particle size distribution of
about 0.30 µm to 0.65 µm. The average molecular weight (Mw)
dramatically increased from 3.3 X 105 to 12.0 X 105.
The polydispersity (Mw/Mn) or molecular weight distribution of rubber was
remarkably wide, between 3 and 10. Different clones of 25-year-old (NATAWE
208, AVROS 2037, RRIC 6, GT1, PR 255, PR 261 and KRS 156) regularly tapped
trees presented mode average particle sizes of about 1.0 µm. The average
molecular weight (Mw) was from about 6.7 X 105 to 3.0 X 106
and the polydispersity (Mw/Mn) was extremely extensive between 5 and 11.

|