ACCELERATOR-FREE THIN-WALLED RUBBER VULCANIZATES FROM LATEX

摘要

Thin-walled rubber articles for use contact with living tissue or withmaterials to be delivered to living tissue are prepared from aqueous latex ofeither natural rubber or synthetic cis-1,4-polyisoprene by vulcanization toproduce both carbon-carbon and carbon- (sulfur) n-carbon crosslinks, thevulcanization being performed in the absence of any compounding componentsthat contain secondary amine groups or any components that have a tendency toproduce nitrosamines. While sulfur activators may be included, it ispreferable that no sulfur accelerators at all be included. Thin-walled rubberarticles formed from the latex surprisingly exhibit a combination of hightensile strength, high ultimate percent elongation, and low 500% tensilemodulus. The process is particularly effective in the manufacture of thin-walled articles from synthetic cis-1,4-polyisoprene.