Improving natural rubber creamed latex production through ultrasonic wave treatment

Concentrated latex, with a dry rubber content of about 60%, is commonly produced using the creaming method at the farmer level. This process employs creaming agents such as hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), methylcellulose, and sodium alginate, but traditionally requires over 14 days to complete. To address this limitation, ultrasonic waves have been proposed to accelerate the separation process. This study evaluates the application of ultrasonic waves in creamed latex processing, focusing on the separation time, physical characteristics, and final product quality. Two variables were tested, the concentration of the creaming agent (2% CMC solution) and the duration of ultrasonic exposure. Results suggest that ultrasonic treatment can effectively reduce processing time while maintaining or improving latex quality. The findings revealed that variations in CMC dosage and ultrasonic exposure duration resulted in changes in the separation time, creamed latex condition, and serum color. Using 100 mL CMC per liter of latex combined with ultrasonic exposure achieved the shortest separation time of 10 days among the investigated treatments. The treatment with 100 mL CMC per liter of latex and 3 h of ultrasonic exposure was identified as the most favorable condition based on its overall performance rather than separation time alone. This treatment exhibited the highest Total Solid Content (60.94%), the highest Dry Rubber Content (59.72%), the highest viscosity (4065 mPa·s), increased creamed latex yield, and was associated with the formation of larger rubber particles (>1000 nm).