Isoprene and Rubber. XIX. The Molecular Size of Rubber and Balata

Abstract

Abstract It was shown in the preceding work that a very dilute solution of balata in an organic solvent contains macromolecules in solution and not micelles. The same is true of rubber. On the basis of these findings it is possible to calculate the molecular weight of rubber and balata from viscosity measurements by means of the formula developed in a previous work: M=η8p/c. Km. The supposition is made that the molecules of rubber and balata have the form of threads and double threads, respectively. Also it is necessary to determine the constant KKm, and this may be calculated in the case of low molecular products, where the average molecular weight can be determined as well as the viscosity of the solutions. Such semi-colloidal decomposition products were obtained by heating rubber or gutta-percha in either tetralin or xylene. As shown by the following table the four samples thus obtained gave the constant: 0.3×10−3,5