Rubber extraction method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for obtaining rubber from rubber-containing plant material, the method comprising the steps of subjecting a composition comprising rubber-containing plant material and a fermentation culture to conditions allowing anaerobic fermentation, wherein the composition preferably has a water content of less than 95 wt. %. The fermentation preferably does not involve movement of the rubber-containing plant material (or parts thereof), and preferably the fermentation is performed in the absence of oxygen ventilation. Additionally, it is preferred that the fermentation culture is cycled through the composition by percolation. A further step of the method involves obtaining the rubber from the composition.

1 . A rubber having an Mn of at least 500,000 g/mole; an Mw of at least 1,000,000 g/mole; an Mz of at least 2,000,000 g/mole; and a polydispersity between 1.0 and 5.0, wherein the rubber comprises traces of bacteria from the genus  Clostridium.    
     
     
         2 . The rubber according to  claim 1 , having an Mn of 500,000-1,000,000 g/mole; an Mw of 1,000,000-2,000,000 g/mole; an Mz of 2,000,000-4,000,000 g/mole; and a polydispersity of between 2.0 and 3.0. 
     
     
         3 . The rubber according to  claim 1 , having a polydispersity between 2.0 and 2.4. 
     
     
         4 . The rubber according to  claim 1 , comprising at least 85 wt. % isoprene polymers. 
     
     
         5 . The rubber according to  claim 4 , wherein the isoprene polymers have an average molecular weight of at least 1,000,000 daltons. 
     
     
         6 . The rubber according to  claim 1 , wherein the traces of bacteria from the genus  Clostridium  are DNA traces. 
     
     
         7 . The rubber according to  claim 6 , wherein the DNA traces comprise at least 15 consecutive nucleotides as present in bacteria of the genus  Clostridium.    
     
     
         8 . The rubber according to  claim 1 , obtainable by:
 (a) subjecting a composition comprising rubber-containing plant material and a fermentation culture comprising bacteria from the genus  Clostridium  to conditions allowing anaerobic fermentation, wherein the composition has a water content of at most 85 wt. %, and wherein the fermentation culture is cycled through the rubber-containing plant material by percolation, and wherein the fermentation is performed in the absence of oxygen ventilation; and   (b) obtaining rubber from the composition.   
     
     
         9 . The rubber according to  claim 8 , wherein the rubber-containing plant material comprises at least 75 wt. % plant root material. 
     
     
         10 . The rubber according to  claim 8 , wherein the conditions allowing anaerobic fermentation are such that no air and/or gas mixture containing more than 15 vol. % oxygen is present. 
     
     
         11 . The rubber according to  claim 8 , wherein the conditions allowing anaerobic fermentation are achieved by replacing oxygen by another gas. 
     
     
         12 . The rubber according to  claim 8 , wherein the anaerobic fermentation does not comprise mixing or movement of the rubber containing plant material or parts thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The rubber according to  claim 8 , wherein the composition further comprises silage. 
     
     
         14 . The rubber according to  claim 8 , wherein the rubber-containing plant material is from the genus  Taraxacum.    
     
     
         15 . The rubber according to  claim 8 , wherein the rubber-containing plant material is from one or more of  Lactuca serriola  and/or  Lactuca sativa  or hybrids thereof, or wherein the rubber-containing plant material is from  Scorzonera,  or wherein the rubber-containing plant material is from family Asteracea. 
     
     
         16 . The rubber according to  claim 8 , wherein the anaerobic fermentation is anaerobic dry fermentation. 
     
     
         17 . The rubber according to  claim 8 , wherein the subjecting is for 1-60 days. 
     
     
         18 . The rubber according to  claim 8 , wherein the fermentation culture is derived from herbivore dung. 
     
     
         19 . The rubber according to  claim 8 , wherein the plant material is boiled, minced, cut in pieces and/or macerated before and/or after the anaerobic fermentation. 
     
     
         20 . The rubber according to  claim 8 , wherein the plant material is enzymatically treated by adding cellulase, pectinase, and/or hemi-cellulase before and/or after anaerobic fermentation. 
     
     
         21 . The rubber according to  claim 8 , wherein the plant material is chemically treated by 30 adding organic acid before and/or after the anaerobic fermentation. 
     
     
         22 . The rubber according to  claim 8 , wherein the composition has a water content of at most 80 wt. %. 
     
     
         23 . A product comprising rubber having an Mn of at least 500,000 g/mole; an Mw of at least 1,000,000 g/mole; an Mz of at least 2,000,000 g/mole; and a polydispersity between 1.0 and 5.0, wherein the rubber comprises traces of bacteria from the genus  Clostridium.    
     
     
         24 . The product according to  claim 23 , wherein the product is a tire. 
     
     
         25 . A method for obtaining rubber from rubber-containing plant material, the method comprising:
 (a) subjecting a composition comprising rubber-containing plant material and a fermentation culture to conditions allowing anaerobic fermentation, wherein the composition has a water content of less than 95 wt. %, and wherein the fermentation culture is cycled through the composition by percolation, and wherein the fermentation is performed in the absence of oxygen ventilation; and   (b) obtaining rubber from the composition.   
     
     
         26 . A rubber obtainable by:
 (a) subjecting a composition comprising rubber-containing plant material and a fermentation culture to conditions allowing anaerobic fermentation, wherein the composition has a water content of less than 95 wt. %, and wherein the fermentation culture is cycled through the composition by percolation, and wherein the fermentation is performed in the absence of oxygen ventilation; and   (b) obtaining rubber from the composition.