Superabsorbent Resin Concentration for Rubber Emulsion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for concentrating rubber emulsions, such as centrifugation, creaming, and evaporation, face inefficiencies, high costs, and environmental concerns, particularly in achieving high solid content and efficient dry rubber yields while minimizing wastewater and energy consumption.

Innovation Solution

The method involves adding a superabsorbent resin to the rubber emulsion, which absorbs water and is then removed through filtration or centrifugation, allowing for concentration of the emulsion to high solid content without requiring complex equipment or high energy consumption, and the resin can be reused to reduce costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If centrifugation is used to concentrate natural latex, then production efficiency is improved and product purity is increased, but centrifugal efficiency is low, dry rubber yields are low, and large amounts of wastewater are generated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction efficiencyVSAvoiddry rubber yields
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a coagulating agent as an intermediary substance to facilitate the concentration of rubber latex. The coagulating agent promotes rubber particle aggregation, enabling efficient separation and concentration without relying solely on centrifugation, thereby improving dry rubber yields while maintaining production efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent modifies the chemical parameters of the latex system by adding coagulating agents that change the colloidal stability and promote phase separation. This parameter change enables more effective concentration and reduces wastewater generation compared to physical centrifugation alone

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Quantity of substance

If evaporation is used to concentrate latex, then concentration level is improved (solid content up to 80%), but energy consumption is high and drying time is slow

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesolid contentVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the thermal evaporation process with a chemical coagulation-based concentration method. By using coagulating agents to induce rubber particle aggregation and separation, the system achieves high solid content concentration without the high energy consumption associated with evaporating large amounts of water

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes phase transition phenomena through coagulation, where the rubber latex transitions from a stable emulsion phase to a separated phase with concentrated rubber particles. This phase change enables efficient concentration at lower energy input compared to thermal evaporation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #36Phase transitions

3Ease of manufacture

If creaming is used to concentrate latex, then equipment complexity is reduced and production cost is lowered, but production cycle is long and viscosity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveequipment simplicityVSAvoidproduction cycle
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by adding coagulating agents before the concentration process to pre-condition the latex system. This preliminary chemical treatment accelerates the separation process, significantly reducing the production cycle while maintaining equipment simplicity and low production costs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach results in a concentrated latex with high solid content, improved mechanical properties, and reduced wastewater and energy usage, simplifying the production process and enhancing efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

adding a superabsorbent resin into a rubber emulsion with a solid content of 0.01-70% to obtain a resin-added rubber emulsion, and stirring the resin-added rubber emulsion for concentrating

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOsmosis: Osmosis

Implementation Method 2

separating the superabsorbent resin from the resin-added rubber emulsion to obatin a concentrated latex after the concentrating

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal separation: Centrifugal Separation

Data Source

PatentUS20220380490A1Method for Concentrating Rubber Emulsion and Product Thereof
Publication Date: 2022.12.01 AGRI PRODS PROCESSING RES INST CHINESE ACAD OF TROPICAL AGRI SCI

AI summary

A method for concentrating rubber emulsion and a product prepared by the method are provided, the method includes: a concentrated latex is obtained by separating a superabsorbent resin added in advance into a rubber emulsion with a solid content of 0.01-70% after stirring and concentrating the resin-added rubber emulsion. The method requires simple equipment and consumes less energy, and the prepared polymer emulsion has a solid content up to 76%; the superabsorbent resin adopted herein is reusable after drying, which therefore effectively reduces the production cost; natural latex concentrated by the method has rather high yields of dry rubber and little wastewater production; products prepared from the concentrated natural latex have excellent mechanical property, aging resistance and adhesive property; and concentrating natural latex according to this method does not require advance agglomeration, which reduces the production procedures and improves the production efficiency significantly.