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The latex is obtained from a whitish liquid that comes from the sap of the rubber tree.Most of the production comes from Central and South America and, although its texture may remind the plastic, the fact is that the Aztecs already used it to make the balls of their sports games.

The extraction is carried out in an almost artisanal way, collecting the liquid from the trees by means of cubes that hang from them just in some incisions made in their bark through which they drip.

Rubber is one of the natural substances of which more properties are known. Its use has been generalized to all areas of modern industry, which has also led to the possibility of producing it artificially. One of its biggest markets is the creation of rest systems, where the natural properties of latex offer mattresses and pillows with a high elasticity, adaptability and hygienic qualities. However, in these articles, the greater the amount of natural latex, the greater the benefits. Are you thinking where does latex come from? Here are some answers for you now.

Origin

Natural latex comes from Hevea brasiliensis, a tree of the euphorbiaceae family that is popularly known as a rubber tree. This species is native to Latin America, specifically from Brazil, where it finds a warm climate and abundant rain. In this environment it can reach up to 30 meters high.

Currently, rubber cultivation takes place in several places in the world and in intensive plantations. However, there are areas where traditional processing is still preserved. In these places, the collectors, known as “seringueiros”, practice cuts and incisions directly on the bark of the tree and place containers underneath.

From these openings comes the sap, that is, the latex. The secretion or bleeding is done little by little during a period of approximately one hour. Then, the coagulation of this thick mass causes the open wound in the tree to close on its own.

Approximately two weeks later, the wound is already closed and the tree, in a certain way, healed. At this time the tree is again in a position to produce sap and so on during the approximately 35 years of the tree’s life.

To get the latex, the rubber tree needs to bleed or “cry”. Precisely for this reason, the Indians called this tree “can-o-chum”, which literally means “the tree that cries.”

History

The first notions of the use of rubber date back to the year 1600 a. C. since they have been found pre-Columbian rubber balls dating from this time.

In fact, according to the chronicles, different American cultures used latex to make various instruments. Thus, balls have been found in the Aztec empire or shoes made by the Mayans by immersing their feet in a mixture of this gummy substance.

Throughout history, and as its production expanded, new products made with latex have been discovered, from the first waterproof fabric made with rubber in Brazil to the eraser, which originated with the arrival of latex to England.

Processes

The latex, once extracted from the tree, in a short time becomes a gummy and elastic substance. However, it is very difficult to keep it raw, because it loses its consistency.

For many years, the natural method of conserving this element was vulcanization that is, adding sulfur to rubber to give it more elasticity, impermeability and durability.

However, as soon as the composition of natural rubber was known, the possibility of manufacturing it artificially was opened.

In 1826, Michael Faraday discovered that rubber was composed of hydrocarbon chains. Then, during World War I, German scientists made synthetic rubber for the first time. Its production was extended until, after the war, it surpassed natural production.

Properties

Latex is one of the materials with more properties on the market. Physically, latex stands out because it is an elastic material that adapts easily to pressure, but also, it is also a non-deformable material. These physical properties are combined with behavioral characteristics that make it a symbol of rest. Latex is athermal material, that is, it adapts to body temperature and is also resistant to fatigue. It also has a series of features that make it a totally hygienic material. In this sense, it is a 100% natural component, which makes it practically anti-allergic. In addition, it lacks static charges, which prevents the accumulation of dust.

Applications

Nowadays, synthetic rubber is one of the most used materials in different sectors. We can find many products made with latex: gloves, textiles, prophylactic, insulating materials, tires. They are also used in latex suits. Buy at Laidtex.com.

However, there is still an important production of natural latex that is used, above all, in the production of rest systems. Precisely, in the manufacture of latex mattresses, the greater the amount of natural latex versus synthetic latex that is in the product, the greater the benefits of your rest equipment.

Latex is used in the manufacture of rest products due to its great properties. In this way, for example, it has a perfect elasticity that, moreover, yields only at the points where pressure is exerted and, on the contrary, according to the pressure exerted, it offers the most adequate back pressure. These elastic qualities make it a suitable mattress for articulated bed bases, since it prevents the heavier parts of the body, such as the shoulders and hips, from being overloaded.

Its excellent qualities make natural latex an excellent resting material. However, the qualities between a natural latex mattress and a synthetic latex mattress vary, being natural much more comfortable than synthetic. Most mattresses use a part of natural latex and a part of artificial latex in its composition. To be properly informed and to request the pertinent certificates will help us to avoid confusions and deceptions.

Leaving aside the tightest and most provocative fashion, natural latex is also a virgin raw material from the cytoplasm of some plants and fungi. Its initial composition is watery and milky or yellowish in appearance, an origin totally opposite to the final result that we all know.

The latex is obtained from the sap extracted from the rubber tree, very abundant in the first years of its growth. The extraction process is very simple and beneficial for the tree. It consists of making a series of V-shaped incisions on the cortex, from which this characteristic liquid will flow.

The latex is extracted from the bark of the rubber tree

As we have already said, this is a very favorable operation also for the plant. The secretion obtained is only a waste that only delays the regeneration of the tree itself. A phase that we promote with this extraction. The resulting natural latex contains a mixture of the most disparate components, among which are various proteins, mineral salts, organic resins or water.