Rubber and its Contents

Rubber is a hydrocarbon polymer latex is contained in some plant species. The main source of production of rubber in international trade are or Hevea brasiliensis (Euphorbiaceae tribe). Several other plants also produce latex with a slightly different properties of rubber, such as ara-member tribe araan (eg fig), brown-sawoan (eg gutta percha and brown manila), other Euphorbiaceae, and dandelion. During World War II, these sources are used to fill the vacancy of the rubber supply. Now, gutta-percha used in medicine (guttapercha), while the tan manila commonly used latex for chewing gum (chicle). Rubber industry can now be produced synthetically and became rivals in the rubber industry.

BiochemistryRubber is a polymer of isoprene units (polyterpenes), composed from 5000 to 10,000 units in the chain without branches. Allegedly, the first three bonds are trans and cis later. These compounds contained in the latex tree penghasilnya. At normal temperatures, the rubber is of the form (amorphous). At low temperatures it will crystallize. With increasing temperature, the rubber will expand, in line with the long axis. Decrease in temperature will restore the state to expand this. This is al Asan why rubber is elastic.

BiosynthesisLatex is formed on the surface of small objects (called "rubber body") round size 5 nm to 5 μm are abundant in the cytosol of cells of latex vessels (modification of the phloem). As the substrate is isopentenyl diphosphate (IPD) resulting latex vessel cells. With the help of prenil transferase catalysis, elongation occurs on the surface of the rubber body that carries a size of 14 kDa polypeptide called the rubber elongation factor (REF). As a starter-making materials, are also required dimethylallyl diphosphate as a 3.3-second substrate. An isomerase enzyme is required for this task.

HarvestingLatex obtained by wounding the bark so that the viscous fluid out and then accommodated. This fluid exit from the cell turgor pressure is released due to injuries. The flow stops when all the cell contents have been "exhausted" and the wound covered by a latex is frozen.

DiscoveryRubber is believed to be named by Joseph Priestley, who in 1770 found that dried latex pencil marks. When the rubber was brought to England, he observed that they may remove the pencil marks on paper. This is the beginning of the naming of rubber in the English language.In the place of origin, in Central America and South America, rubber has been collected for a long time. Mesoamerican civilizations used rubber from Castilla elastica. Ancient Central Americans using rubber balls in their game (see: Mesoamerican ball game). According to Bernal Diaz del Castillo, the Spanish Conquistador was amazed to bounce a rubber ball and the Aztec people thought that the ball is possessed by demons.In Brazil local people to make clothes from waterproof rubber. A story states that the first European to return to Portugal from Brazil with the anti-air clothes are causing people to be surprised that he brought to court on charges of witchcraft.

BenefitManufacture of rubber tires is a major ingredient, some medical tools, tools that require flexibility and shock-resistant. one of several places in Jember seed plantations of rubber can be used as a snack with tetentu process, it was tasty but not too much because sometimes cause a serious headache.