Natural Rubber
(Polyisoprene)
The natural rubber is used since hundred years. The most extensively developed rubber with a lot many range of compounds.
Natural rubber is replenishable. During its production as a sapling (latex), it continually absorbs carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas). At the end of their survival, the rubber trees are used for furniture and are substituted with young sapling for further production. Natural rubber is also biodegradable and non-toxic.
Here are some of the details about Natural Rubber:
Properties
- widest range of hardnesses
- very strong (naturally self-reinforcing) and extremely resilient
- good compression set
- good resistance to inorganic chemicals
Limitations
- lack of resistance to oil and organic fluids
- relatively low maximum temperatures (75°C continuous, 100°C intermittent)
- poor ozone resistance, with tendency to perish in open air (can be improved to some extent by careful compounding).
Typical Applications
- components which are protected from constant air changes – i.e. inside machinery – and which do not come into contact with any oil or oil based fluids like Bellows
- applications requiring strength and resistance to abrasion
- sealing and shock absorption
- Electrical Insulation mats in accordance with IS 5424 & IS 15652.