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LatexReview, Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Latex But Where Afraid to Ask
Welcome, The purpose of this site is to review the world of Latex and Rubber.
Definition of Latex:
Latex, as found in nature, is the milky sap of many plants that coagulates on exposure to air. It is a complex emulsion in which proteins, alkaloids, starches, sugars, oils, tannins, resins and gums are found. In most plants, latex is white, but some have yellow, orange, or scarlet latex.The word also refers to the thin stretchy material obtained by processing the sap. It can also be made synthetically by polymerizing a monomer that has been emulsified with surfactants.
Latex Clothing:
Latex is used in many types of clothing. It is different from rubber in that it is less refined and often thinner. Worn on the body (or applied directly by painting) it tends to be skin-tight, producing a “second skin” effect. It has a shinier finish than rubber.
Rubber:
The major commercial source of natural latex used to create rubber is the Para rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis (Euphorbiaceae). This is largely because it responds to wounding by producing more latex. Henry Wickham gathered thousands of seeds from Brazil in 1876 and they were germinated in Kew Gardens, England. The seedlings were sent to Colombo, Indonesia, Singapore and British Malaya. Malaya was later to become the biggest producer of rubber. Liberia is another rubber-producing country.Other plants containing latex include figs (Ficus elastica), euphorbias, and the common dandelion. Although these have not been major sources of rubber, Germany attempted to use such sources during World War II when it was cut off from rubber supplies. These attempts were later supplanted by the development of synthetic rubber.Synthetic rubber is made through the polymerization of a variety of monomers to produce polymers. These form part of a broad study covered by polymer science and rubber technology. Its scientific name is polyisoprene.
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