Provided is a method for producing a tire member that can give a vulcanized rubber high in fatigue resistance. The method includes: (i) mixing carbon black, a dispersing solvent and a rubber latex solution with each other to produce a rubber latex solution including the carbon black; (ii) solidifying the resultant rubber latex solution including the carbon black to produce a rubber solidified product including the carbon black; (iii) adding, to the resultant rubber solidified product including the carbon black, a compound represented by the following formula (I): ##STR00001##
and dispersing the compound represented by the formula (I) into the rubber solidified product including the carbon black, this product containing water, while dehydrating the rubber solidified product including the carbon black to produce a wet rubber masterbatch; and (iv) adding, to the resultant wet rubber masterbatch, silica and a silane coupling agent, and dry-mixing these substances with each other.

The present invention relates to the industrial sector of extracting and processing natural rubber, and other components, from plant material. In particular, the invention relates to a process for extracting latex, resin and rubber from guayule and/or guayule-type plants, which comprises harvest, preservation, mechanical and chemical treatment of the plant parts, which is applicable both in the laboratory and on an industrial scale and is characterised by significantly high yields and high quality of the extracted products.

The present invention relates to the sector of the industry for extracting and processing natural rubber, and other components, from plant material. In particular, the invention relates to a process for extracting resin and rubber from guayule and/or guayule type plants, which comprises harvesting, preserving and mechanically and chemically treating the parts of the plant, applicable both in the laboratory and on an industrial scale, characterized by significantly high quantity yields and high quality of the extracted products.

A carbon black-latex masterbatch composition that can impart improved properties to a resulting rubber compound, and methods for the preparation and use of the carbon black-latex masterbatch composition.

Vulcanized tube having at least one foamed layer of elastomer material with a cellular structure with an average cell size in a range between 5 and 200 microns and the number of cells per unit of volume in a range between 1.9?10.sup.5 and 1.4?10.sup.9 cells/cm.sup.3. To form the tube, a forming device is inserted into an unvulcanized tube obtained in a prior initial stage of extrusion. At least one foaming agent is added to the elastomer material of the foamed layer in the initial stage of extrusion, such that the tube is vulcanized and the foamed layer is also simultaneously foamed. The vulcanizing process is carried out under pressure. Finally, in a stage of removal, the already vulcanized and foamed tube is removed from the forming device.

The present application relates to an elastomeric article, such as a glove, comprising: (i) an elastomeric film comprising one or more film layers, and including an external surface and an internal surface, (ii) an antimicrobial agent that is effective against both beneficial and harmful microorganisms on the external surface of the elastomeric film, and (iii) a skin-protective agent selected from a probiotic, a prebiotic, or a combination thereof on the internal surface of the elastomeric film; wherein the inner surface of the film is free of an antimicrobially-effective amount of an antimicrobial agent that is effective against both beneficial and harmful microorganisms. The elastomeric articles may further comprise a barrier film layer that provides separation between the antimicrobial agent and the skin-protective agent. Also described are methods for the manufacture of such articles.

The present invention provides a method for producing rubber particles bound to a membrane-associated protein by cell-free protein synthesis. The present invention relates to a method for producing rubber particles bound to a membrane-associated protein, the method including the step of performing protein synthesis in the presence of both rubber particles and a cell-free protein synthesis solution containing an mRNA coding for a membrane-associated protein to bind the membrane-associated protein to the rubber particles.

Pore-free rubber articles are prepared by dip-molding in a dipping medium that includes a vulcanizing agent, then partially-cured by immersing the dip former in a heated liquid bath that is chemically inert. A particularly effective liquid bath is a molten, nitrite free inorganic salt. The partially-cured rubber is then maintained at a desired curing temperature in a low/no oxygen heating oven to complete curing. Alternatively, upon removal from the molten salt bath, the latex film is quenched.

Methods are provided for processing a latex stream that include adding an isocyanate to a foam head that converts the latex stream to a foamed latex stream. A curing agent also may be added to the foam head. Also provided are methods of making a carpet that include disposing a foamed latex stream that includes an isocyanate onto a carpet fabric, or a support material to form a carpet backing. Carpets made by the methods herein also are provided.

A rubber composition is provided. The rubber composition is based at least on an elastomer matrix comprising natural rubber and a functional diene elastomer, the functional diene elastomer bearing an SiOR function, R being hydrogen or a carbon-based group, the carbon black having a BET specific surface area of greater than 130 m.sup.2/g, the dispersion of the carbon black in the elastomer matrix having a Z value of greater than 80. The composition has an improved compromise between the hysteresis properties and the properties at break.