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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Maricopa, Arizona » U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center » Plant Physiology and Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #416944
Research Project: Developing Biofuels and New Industrial Crops for Sustainable Semi-arid Agricultural Systems

Location: Plant Physiology and Genetics Research

Title: Rubber Dandelion (Taraxacum kok-saghyz) latex films: Implications for medical and latex product development

Author
item KING-SMITH, NATHANIEL - The Ohio State University
item DAVIS, SARAH - Energyene Inc
item Cornish, Katrina

Submitted to: Rubber Chemistry and Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/25/2024
Publication Date: 3/3/2025
Citation: King-Smith, N.P., Davis, S.A., Cornish, K. 2025. Rubber Dandelion (Taraxacum kok-saghyz) latex films: Implications for medical and latex product development. Rubber Chemistry and Technology. 98(1):90–108. https://doi.org/10.5254/rct.24.00035.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5254/rct.24.00035

Interpretive Summary: Currently all latex and rubber is harvested from the tropical rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis, which is grown as clones and it is very prone to crop failure. Biological and geographical diversification of the rubber supply is essential to US security. The world relies on natural rubber (NR) for tens of thousands of products, many related to healthcare and personal protection like medical and laboratory gloves. Medical glove demand doubled with the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, leaving many medical facilities with medical glove shortages and encouraging the marketing of substandard gloves. Additionally, COVID-19 highlighted vulnerabilities in our global supply chains including the rubber supply chain which saw interruptions due to transportation restrictions and lack of working staff. One of the two alternative crops that can be grown in the US is rubber dandelion (Taraxacum kok-saghyz) and it is being developed as a source of rubber for tires. It has not previously been explored as a source of latex - the form needed to make medical gloves and other latex products. We determined that the latex can be used to make high-performance film products including medical gloves. This work may help the US on-shore natural latex glove manufacture.

Technical Abstract: Taraxacum kok-saghyz latex (TNRL) was extracted and purified from 3.5 to 5-month-old greenhouse grown plants. The extracted TNRL was of high Mw (~ 2,000 kg/mol) at a much younger age than the six years needed before Hevea produces rubber above 1,000 kg/mol, indicating potential for rubber product manufacturing and fast scale up potential. TNRL was compounded using a combination of the hypoallergenic chemical accelerators diisopropyl xanthogen polysulphide (DIXP) and zinc diisononyl dithiocarbamate (ZDNC) and recipes varied to optimize mechanical performance. A compound containing 0.6 phr ZDNC and 0.4 phr DIXP resulted in cured thin films with 30 MPa tensile strength, 2,245% elongation to break and a modulus at 500% elongation of 1.65 MPa, exceeding the mechanical requirements for surgeons (ASTM D3577) and examination (ASTM D3578) gloves. Crosslink density of TNRL films was similar to commercial Hevea natural latex films. This research indicates TNRL may be suitable for use in low volume, high margin premium latex product markets as latex yields improve, further supporting Taraxacum kok-saghyz as an alternative rubber industrial crop.