Parthenium argentatum

Guayule ( Parthenium arge tatum )

The guayule ( Parthenium arge tatum ) is a flowering plant in the sunflower family ( Asteraceae). It is used as a rubber plant because of their high latex content

Description

The guayule grows as a shrub. In the flower baskets are just the female florets fruit during the hermaphrodite but functionally male florets no fruit formed.

Dissemination

The guayule is widely found in the desert areas of Mexico in the states of Zacatecas, Coahuila, Chihuahua, San Luis Potosí, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas, as well as in the U.S. states of Texas and New Mexico.

Ingredients

The plant accumulates large amounts of milk juice ( latex) in the parenchyma cells of the stem, the root and the leaves.

Use as a rubber plant

The guayule rubber plant is used as the basis of their high content of milky sap (latex). The rubber is a polymer of up to 6000 isoprene units similar to that of the rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis), while the rubber content of the plant is usually 5 to 7% of the total mass, but may also be up to 17%.

Historically guayule had especially during the time of the Second World War importance, as the U.S. was cut off from rubber exports from Southeast Asia. At this time he was also tentatively grown in the Soviet Union. Since guayule as opposed to the rubber of the rubber tree has no allergenic effect (latex allergy), has increased, particularly in recent years, interest in guayule rubber as a renewable resource again. It is especially made ​​for the production of products that are in direct contact with the skin, especially for mattresses, rubber gloves and other hygiene products. In April 2008, examination gloves of Yulex Corporation, USA, the first product for medical applications in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration released so that was the natural Yulex rubber is the only material that the safety requirements for natural latex products based on met the protein content.

Extraction

For the production of the rubber, the entire plant is harvested and ground, and then the latex is washed. By vulcanization with sulfur the Isoprenketten be irregular and can so be networked to form an elastic rubber.