RRII develops high-quality rubber from skim latex

Kottayam (Kerala) | The Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII) here has developed an innovative process for recovering high-quality rubber from skim latex.

This involves treating the skim latex with a specific combination of chemicals over a 24-hour period, followed by acid coagulation, resulting in the formation of rubber lumps, a Rubber Board statement has said.

These lumps can then be directly converted into skim crepe and dried, it said.

Skim latex is a by-product generated during the production of Centrifuged Latex (Cenex), with about 34 per cent of skim rubber.

Cenex is commonly used in the manufacturing of products such as gloves, condoms, and balloons. India has over 40 centrifuging factories, and approximately 10 per cent of the natural rubber produced in the country is processed into Cenex through centrifugation.

Currently, skim rubber is recovered by acid coagulation of skim latex, which results in a skim rubber slurry, it said.

The statement further said this slurry is then packed into several plastic sacks and left for two weeks for dewatering and solidification. The resulting skim powder is further processed into skim crepe.

However, this conventional method yields only low-quality rubber, is labour-intensive and crude, and produces foul odours.

Additionally, it poses challenges for effluent treatment plants and has led to public protests and legal disputes in areas surrounding Cenex factories, it said.

"The new process developed by RRII eliminates the use of plastic sacks and reduces processing time to just 24 hours," it said.

It significantly minimises foul odours, enhances environmental sustainability, and ensures complete recovery of high-quality rubber from skim latex, the Rubber Board said adding that the method is faster, less labour-intensive, and more efficient, offering a substantial benefit to the industry.

This technology has been transferred to the Federation of Latex Processors (FLP), an association of centrifuged latex factory owners, on a paid basis, and is available to other associations and Cenex units on a payment basis as well, it further said.

The Rubber Board is branding the product as Indian Purified Skim Rubber™ (IPSR) and is in the process of patenting the technology.

Rubber industries across the country have shown keen interest in using IPSR for product manufacturing, as it offers a competitive advantage due to its lower cost and superior quality, the Board added.

In the last year, the Rubber Board has taken up several initiatives and implemented various schemes benefitting rubber growers, tappers and others in the sector and engaged in strategic partnerships with various organisations, the statement added.