Zheng Jiagang, Zhang Fuquan, Zhao Qingyun, Yu Rentong, Zhao Yanfang, Liao Xiaoxue, Liao Lusheng
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China.
Agricultural Products Processing Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Hainan Key Laboratory of Natural Rubber Processing, Zhanjiang 524001, China.
Int J Mol Sci. 2025 Jan 22;26(3):920. doi: 10.3390/ijms26030920.
Natural rubber (NR) is in high demand due to its excellent elasticity and physical and mechanical properties, but production is limited and NR is in short supply. There is an urgent need to find new alternative rubber sources. (TKS), as a green, renewable, widely planted and high content rubber producing plant, has shown broad application prospects. The extraction process is the key to developing efficient, green, and high-purity Natural Rubber (TKNR) to replace NR in various applications. In this study, TKS roots were processed through repeated boiling to remove inulin, followed by alkaline treatment with potassium hydroxide (KOH) to isolate lignin and facilitate cell wall disruption. Subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis using pectinase and cellulase enabled the dissolution of root-structure carbohydrates, thereby obtained TKNR. Structural characterization of TKNR was conducted and compared with that of NR. The results showed that the combined alkaline and enzymatic extraction methodology effectively isolates TKNR from TKS roots. Structural analysis reveals that TKNR closely resembles NR, having comparable molecular weight and distribution, crystallinity, and crosslinking networks, with both polymers primarily consisting of cis-1,4-polyisoprene.
天然橡胶（NR）因其出色的弹性以及物理和机械性能而需求旺盛，但产量有限且供应短缺。迫切需要找到新的替代橡胶来源。三叶橡胶树（TKS）作为一种绿色、可再生、广泛种植且橡胶含量高的植物，已展现出广阔的应用前景。提取工艺是开发高效、绿色且高纯度天然橡胶（TKNR）以在各种应用中替代NR的关键。在本研究中，三叶橡胶树根经过反复煮沸以去除菊粉，随后用氢氧化钾（KOH）进行碱处理以分离木质素并促进细胞壁破裂。随后使用果胶酶和纤维素酶进行酶水解，使根结构碳水化合物溶解，从而获得TKNR。对TKNR进行了结构表征并与NR进行了比较。结果表明，碱法和酶法联合提取方法能有效地从三叶橡胶树根中分离出TKNR。结构分析表明，TKNR与NR非常相似，具有相当的分子量和分布、结晶度以及交联网络，两种聚合物主要都由顺式-1,4-聚异戊二烯组成。
