Latex

This article is about the polymer. For the document preparation system and markup language, see LaTeX. For other uses, see Latex (disambiguation).
Tapping of latex from a tree, for use in rubber production

Latex is an emulsion (stable dispersion) of polymer microparticles in water.[1] Latices are found in nature, but synthetic latices are common as well.

In nature, latex is found as a milky fluid, which is present in 10% of all flowering plants (angiosperms).[2] It is a complex emulsion that coagulates on exposure to air, consisting of proteins, alkaloids, starches, sugars, oils, tannins, resins, and gums. It is usually exuded after tissue injury. In most plants, latex is white, but some have yellow, orange, or scarlet latex. Since the 17th century, latex has been used as a term for the fluid substance in plants, deriving from the Latin word for "liquid".[3][4][5] It serves mainly as defense against herbivorous insects.[2] Latex is not to be confused with plant sap; it is a distinct substance, separately produced, and with different functions.

The word latex is also used to refer to natural latex rubber, particularly non-vulcanized rubber. Such is the case in products like latex gloves, latex condoms, latex clothing, and balloons.

IUPAC definition.

Latex: Colloidal dispersion of polymer particles in a liquid.[6][a]
Synthetic latex: Latex obtained as a product of an emulsion, mini-emulsion, micro-emulsion, or dispersion polymerization.[6]

  1. ^ Wang, Hui; Yang, Lijuan; Rempel, Garry L. (2013). "Homogeneous Hydrogenation Art of Nitrile Butadiene Rubber: A Review". Polymer Reviews. 53 (2): 192–239. doi:10.1080/15583724.2013.776586. S2CID 96720306.
  2. ^ a b Anurag A. Agrawal; d Kotaro Konno (2009). "Latex: a model for understanding mechanisms, ecology, and evolution of plant defense Against herbivory". Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics. 40: 311–331. doi:10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.110308.120307.
  3. ^ Paul G. Mahlberg (1993). "Laticifers: an historical perspective". The Botanical Review. 59 (1): 1–23. Bibcode:1993BotRv..59....1M. doi:10.1007/bf02856611. JSTOR 4354199. S2CID 40056337.
  4. ^ Harper, Douglas. "latex". Online Etymology Dictionary.
  5. ^ latex. Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short. A Latin Dictionary on Perseus Project.
  6. ^ a b c Stanislaw Slomkowski; José V. Alemán; Robert G. Gilbert; Michael Hess; Kazuyuki Horie; Richard G. Jones; Przemyslaw Kubisa; Ingrid Meisel; Werner Mormann; Stanisław Penczek; Robert F. T. Stepto (2011). "Terminology of polymers and polymerization processes in dispersed systems (IUPAC Recommendations 2011)" (PDF). Pure and Applied Chemistry. 83 (12): 2229–2311. doi:10.1351/PAC-REC-10-06-03. S2CID 96812603. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2013-10-20.


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