What is Natural rubber

Malaysian natural rubber is produced from plants and is classified as a chemical compound in the group of polymers that are made up of large, identical molecules . It is composed of isoprene organic polymers with minor impurities and other organic compounds plus water. Thailand and Indonesia are the top two producers of natural rubber in the world. Polyisoprene types used as natural rubbers are classified as elastomers. Some of these polymers are naturally occurring and others are produced in laboratories and factories so natural rubber and synthetic rubber can be produced. More information in this regard will be provided in the following article in Panorama Global Trade Sdn Bhd. Malaysian natural rubber is one of the most important polymers in human society. Today, the first introduction to rubber begins with the seventh grade science course for teens. Natural rubber is an essential raw material used to create more than 40,000 products. It is used in medical devices, surgical gloves, aircraft and car tires, pacifiers, clothing, toys, and more. 

Rubber features

Malaysian natural rubber has flexibility and strength, as well as impurities and vulnerability to environmental conditions and hydrocarbons. Compared to other tires, natural rubber is one of the most flexible types and is resistant to water and some chemicals. It is also resistant to cutting, tearing, abrasion, fatigue and abrasion and has a working range between -58 to 212 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition, it has high tensile strength and easily adheres to other materials. However, natural rubber is not as effective at resisting heat, light and ozone as other rubbers such as neoprene. It also varies depending on the type of tree from which it is produced and also contains natural impurities. While natural rubber is resistant to water and some chemicals, it is still vulnerable to oil and non-polar solvents. 

Price of Rubber in market depends on what

The world price of Malaysian natural rubber and synthetic rubber is a function of the daily price of oil in the world. Natural rubber is made from whitish milky liquid that contains proteins, starches, alkaloids, etc., which is made by many plants. About 20,000 species of plants produce latex, but only 2,500 species have rubber in their latex. The biological function of natural rubber for plants is unclear. However, it has been shown that it can help heal plants after they have been damaged by covering wounds and stopping the loss of fluid within the plant. This compound also prevents harmful bacteria and viruses from entering the plant. Natural rubber is composed of long isoprene polymer chains that are loosely bonded together. When detached, the chains reconnect on their own, giving the tire elasticity. Unlike synthetic rubbers made by petrochemical companies, natural rubbers are made from the latex sap of trees, and they supply up to 99% of the latex needed by the world.  Malaysia is the fifth largest manufacturer and exporter of natural rubber in the world. Malaysia is also the leader in the production and export of rubber products such as rubber gloves, pneumatic tires, inner tubes, catheters, condoms, footwear, rubber bands and rubber sheets. Rubber production in Malaysia is set to double by 2020, provided the Malaysian government’s ambitious development plans for the industry come to fruition.  In 2011 the country produced nearly 1 million tones of rubber, according to statistics from the Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB). Under the Economic Transformation Program (ETP), production is expected to reach 2 million tones per annum by the end of the decade, boosting the sector’s contribution to gross national income (GNI) to RM52.9bn ($17.06bn), up from RM18.5bn ($5.97bn) in 2020.  

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