The Historical Development of Latex Emulsion: From Natural Rubber to Modern Synthetic Latex
Discovery and Utilization of Natural Rubber
The story of latex emulsion begins in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when people discovered rubber trees in the tropical rainforests of South America. These trees secrete a white liquid—natural rubber latex emulsion—which can be processed into elastic solid rubber. In 1839, Charles Goodyear invented the vulcanization process, making natural rubber more durable and practical. This discovery greatly advanced the rubber industry and opened up wide-ranging applications for latex emulsion in daily life.
The Birth of Synthetic Latex
However, during World War I, the instability of natural rubber supplies prompted scientists to seek alternative materials. In 1909, German chemist Friedrich Carl Hofmann synthesized butadiene-styrene copolymer, marking the birth of synthetic latex emulsion. With the outbreak of World War II, research on synthetic latex accelerated, particularly in the United States and the Soviet Union, where significant resources were invested to develop new synthesis methods and technologies to meet war demands.
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