One of the important roles the Thai Rubber Association has played is to participate in conferences pertaining to natural rubber research and development, to voice opinions to researchers for further enhancement of research in commercial use. Recently, Mr. Somboon Pruksanusak, Chairman of TRA Subcommittee on Transport and Insurance together with Ms. Piyaporn Saelim, Manager and TRA officers attended a conference entitled “Follow-up on the Progress of Thai NR Research (2nd batch) organized by Thai Research Fund (TRF) in association with National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) on 22 – 23 May 2014 at Golden Crown Plaza, Hatyai, Songkhla.
The natural rubber research project aims at value addition and increase of domestic consumption of natural rubber through research and development of new rubber product and other related products for customer alternative. But competitiveness and substitutability for existing products must be taken into account so that entrepreneurs could enhance into industrial level. Leading research projects are as follows:
1) polymer from natural rubber for new pharmaceutical products i.e. preparation of lidocaine skin patch from low protein natural rubber latex mixed with various types of flour, preparation of high porosity structure from natural rubber for drug, preparation of hydrogel from blends of natural rubber and starch to accelerate the healing of chronic wounds. These projects generate new products and value addition to rubber.
2) Measurement of dry rubber content (DRC) of natural rubber latex through helium-neon laser. This research requires accurate and precise measurement to replace the old measurement in which dried latex is used.
3) Development of natural rubber into low and constant Mooney viscosity (LoV), low Nitrogen and low gel content at industrial level. This research is not yet successful, but brings about colorless and odorless rubber, which can be further developed to create medical products.
4) To evaluate the increase of production capacity for biogas through co-fermentation and marginal rate of substitution of wood fuels for RSS manufacturing cooperatives. This project results in reduction of the cost and increase of competitiveness
5) Development of rubber-drying technology through microwave and hot air to be a prototype of STR20 manufacturing at industrial level. This project is in the process of testing and accuracy improvement.
6) The use of electrical property as prototype system to control rubber molding, including the use of electrical properties in the tracking of rubber vulcanization process while molding, development of Center for measuring rubber electrical properties while molding, prototype system in measuring and recording rubber electrical properties during vulcanization. This project is in the process of testing.
7) Development of new hevea wood sawing machines to minimize the loss, which increases production efficiency and reduces loss in hevea wood industry.
In conclusion, research and development is an important part in the fast development of Thai rubber industry. The Thai Rubber Association sees that cooperation and support from all relevant sectors - both public and private contribute to fruitful research for commercial purpose and ultimately to the development of the country as a whole.
The Progress of Thai NR Research