Overview
ISO 2004:2024 specifies the standards for natural rubber latex concentrate that has been preserved wholly or partially with ammonia and produced by centrifuging or creaming processes. This seventh edition updates the previous 2017 version with technical revisions to ensure improved quality criteria and consistency in the rubber industry. The standard covers key parameters such as alkalinity levels, total solids content, mechanical stability, and permissible contaminants, providing essential guidance for manufacturers and suppliers of natural rubber latex concentrate.
Key Topics
- Scope: Defines specifications for ammonia-preserved natural rubber latex concentrates produced via centrifuging or creaming.
- Types of Concentrate:
- Type HA: Centrifuged latex preserved with ammonia only, higher alkalinity.
- Type LA: Centrifuged latex preserved with ammonia and other preservatives, lower alkalinity.
- Type MA: Intermediate alkalinity centrifuged latex with ammonia plus other preservatives.
- Creamed Types HA and LA: Similar preservation characteristics but produced by the creaming process.
- Specifications and Testing:
- Minimum total solids and dry rubber content to ensure concentration quality.
- Alkalinity thresholds to control preservation levels.
- Mechanical stability testing ensures latex maintains integrity during handling.
- Limits on coagulum, sludge, copper, and manganese content to prevent contamination.
- Sampling according to ISO 123 guarantees representative testing.
- Ammonia Preservation: Ammonia acts as the main preservative, sometimes combined with additional preservatives, and the precise chemical makeup must be declared.
Applications
ISO 2004:2024 is critical for stakeholders involved in the production, processing, and distribution of natural rubber latex concentrate used in:
- Rubber manufacturing industries producing gloves, balloons, condoms, and other latex-based products.
- Quality control laboratories to ensure latex concentrate meets international standards critical for product consistency and safety.
- Raw material suppliers to certify the quality and composition of their latex concentrates before shipment.
- Regulatory bodies and certification agencies focused on compliance and trade facilitation.
By adhering to the standard, companies can improve product reliability, optimize processing parameters, and reduce contamination risks, ultimately enhancing end-use product performance.
Related Standards
- ISO 35: Determines mechanical stability of natural rubber latex concentrate.
- ISO 123: Specifies methods for sampling rubber latex to ensure quality consistency.
- ISO 124: Measures total solids content in latex.
- ISO 125: Defines procedures to determine alkalinity in latex concentrate.
- ISO 126: Provides methods for evaluating dry rubber content.
- ISO 706: Determines coagulum content impacting latex purity.
- ISO 2005: Assesses sludge content in rubber latex.
- ISO 6101-3: Atomic absorption spectrometry for copper content in latex.
- ISO 7780: Photometric methods for manganese content evaluation.
- ISO 127: Addresses KOH number related to latex quality assessment.
Compliance with ISO 2004:2024 alongside these complementary standards ensures comprehensive assessment and quality assurance of natural rubber latex concentrates used throughout the rubber industry.
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