Fundamentals and recent applications of natural rubber latex in dipping technology

The largest source of commercial natural rubber (NR) latex for industrial use comes from the Hevea brasiliensis trees. The major usage of NR latex is in glove manufacturing, particularly medical gloves and devices for diverse applications in the healthcare sector. An account on the colloidal properties of fresh field latex and the technical latex feedstock produced from it is described. The importance of the nonrubber constituents (proteins and lipids) associated with the rubber core in biosynthesis of the rubber molecules in rubber particles, and the nanostructure of the surface layer surrounding the core will be highlighted. The basic principle of latex thin film formation and its relevance to prerequisites for barrier material in infection control will be elaborated. The basic science behind latex compounding, the unique purpose of prevulcanization, and the many interfacial phenomena associated with the glove dipping process will be unraveled. Medical gloves are the first-line defense against healthcare-associated infections.