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Abstract
Structural Characterisation of the Small Rubber Particles
in Fresh Hevea Latex
The rubbers from small and large rubber particles
were separated from the serum and cream phases of centriguged fresh Hevea
latex, respectively. The small rubber particles (SRP) consist of rubber
molecules showing a unimodal molecular weight distribution (MWD) with a
peak-top value falling between the two peak values of the bimodal MWD observed
in rubbers from the large rubber particles (LRP). The rubber in LRP from
mature trees and SRP from seedlings are polyisoprene molecules terminated
by phospholipids comprising branching points, while that in SRP are presumed
to be linear molecules containing no phospholipid terminal. Comparative
data of MW and structure between the SRP obtained from the serum phase of
fresh latex and those of the SRP obtained from seedling latex are reported.
The mechanism
controlling MW in connection with the relationship among MW, branching,
gel and particle size.

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