Natural rubber is obtained from Hevea brasiliensis, a tree that is native from the Amazon forest. It has been economically important for the past 150 years and it has also been a rich source of learning on polymers and polymeric materials. Its outstanding properties and advantages over synthetic rubbers have attracted the attention of many researchers that unraveled many contributing factors. Now, it is clear that natural rubber is a complex nanostructured material formed by poly(cis-1,4-isoprene), protein, phospholipids and a host of mineral minor components. Contribution of the authors to knowledge on natural rubber is reviewed in this paper and it opened the way to develop a host of new nanocomposites, using mild, "green" processes, within a new paradigm for the fabrication of materials derived from renewable sources.
natural rubber; latex; nanocomposites; clays; electrostatic adhesion; blends; renewable raw materials
