Sumitomo Riko offers new insights into behaviour of natural rubber

Tokyo – Sumitomo Riko and Maebashi Institute of Technology have published new research into the influence of natural rubber (NR) components on the performance of the material.

In addition to polyisoprene, NR contains ‘non-rubber’ components, including metabolites, proteins, and metal salts, according to Sumitomo Riko.

The new study, as published in Scientific Report, focuses in on these substances and their influence on the characteristics of rubber materials. 

The researchers used a special technology to analyse metabolites in latex collected during a standard harvesting season, said the Japanese group 16 April.

By combining the data with post-processing material property values, they were able to identify groups of metabolites with strong correlation to individual characteristics.

The study suggests that it may now be possible to unlock the potential of NR more effectively through data-driven prediction methods, rather than relying on physical prototypes.

The findings also raise the possibility that, in the future, materials can be artificially designed to improve the performance and functionality of NR, added Sumitomo Riko.

This, it said, could be achieved through 'clarifying causal links between specific non-rubber components and material properties.'

Read the full research paper as presented by Sumitomo Riko via Scientific Reports