ABSTRACT
Guayule, a desert shrub indigenous to the United States, is under development as a source of natural rubber that can be used in place of petroleum-based rubber or Hevea rubber. In natural rubbers, physical and chemical properties can be strongly affected by nonrubber constituents, typically proteins and lipids, present in the material, depending on the plant species and postharvest processing. Hevea natural rubber typically contains high levels of nonrubber constituents that contribute to thermal-oxidative stability, cure acceleration, and especially strain-induced crystallization. The latter has been attributed to compound properties that render Hevea natural rubber uniquely suited for the most demanding rubber applications (e.g., aircraft tires). Hevea proteins are susceptible to hydrolysis, releasing free amino acids into the latex, which can affect rubber and compound properties. Here, low-protein guayule latex was blended with a series of amino acids varying in chemical structure. Bulk viscosity was reduced, thermal-oxidative stability was improved, and cure rate was influenced by the addition of amino acids. Generally, gel formation, green strength, and tensile strength were not affected. The results introduce a new perspective for amino acids as biobased rubber compound additives and provide insights into naturally occurring nonrubber constituents' interaction with natural rubber polymers.
