Manufacturer: Would you please suggest some inputs on how to utilize old compounded latex collected from the dipping tank ?
During
plant shutdown, compounded latex from the dipping tank is collected and stored but later becomes over-matured.When
resuming dipping operations, some quantities of over-matured latex are
mixed with fresh compound but the defect rate
increases. Can you please suggest some
ideas based on your experience in this regard?
What
are the properties to be tested for the over-matured latex before
using? Is it possible to use the over-matured latex for some other
purpose?
John Woon (Senior Latex Consultant): The use of old and over matured compounded latex for
dipping is not recommended because it tends to give cracking during the
dipping process due to weak gel strength and the final products will
also exhibit poor tensile properties with low tensile strength and
elongation at break. This is due to the poor rubber particle-to-particle
integration during drying.
You can mix a low percentage of the over-cured latex with fresh latex compounds, treating it as a filler.
The quality of the over-cured latex could be accessed by determining the physical properties of the cast films. These include tensile strength, modulus, elongation at break and tear strength. Based on these results, you could then decide on the ratio of the blend to be used.
Needless
to say, the film properties of the blend must also be tested to ensure
that the final products are still acceptable as per your own quality
assurance requirement.
Perhaps
you could look into using the over-matured latex compounds for other
applications such as carpet backings and impregnation of textile such as
non-woven fabrics. However, some lab works should be carried out to
access the suitability of this approach.