Quality parameters of some natural rubber (NR) clones indigenous to Nigeria. II. Ionic content, stability and degradation resistance of natural rubber

The degradation resistance, protein content and the ionic analysis of the lattices of two local natural rubber (NR) clones (NNRL-Ilawe Ekiti) and (NNRG-Igede) and an international natural rubber clone (TJI-Malaysia) have been studied. The international clone (TJI) was observed to be more resistant to oxidative degradation than the local clones. The resistance of NR to oxidative breakdown was improved by oxalic and phosphoric acid additives and was found to be related to absolute temperature by an arrhenius type of equation thereby allowing for the evaluation of the activation energy which is taken to be a measure of the degradation resistance of NR. The lattice of the international clone (TJI) appears superior to the lattices of the local clones examined, being of higher protein content, stability and degradation resistance. (author)