Gelation of natural rubber latex and crude oil in sea water

Abstract

In the reported investigation, a satisfactory compounded natural rubber latex was developed for gelling crude oil in sea water at about 30 degree C within one hour. The rate of oil-latex gelation can be controlled by the amount of the accelerators used. Though faster gelation can further be achieved, it may cause some handling problems in practical application. Further work is required to find the optimum balance between strength and oil adsorption of rubber gel. The leaching characteristics and the toxicity of the additives also merit study.